This is an incomplete list of SUFFIXES in English.

Note that this list includes only derivational suffixes (which form new words, often of a different part of speech) and suffixes which serve to mark the part of speech. It does not include the inflectional suffixes which only produce new forms of a word without changing the part of speech, eg -s for the plural of nouns. Suffix Part of speech Meaning Examples Effect on word stress

-al adj aspect of nominal, focal, (compare -ality) Neutral

-al noun abstract noun refusal, appraisal Neutral

-able adj capable, can do usable, notable, comfortable Neutral

-ality noun property (aspect, behaviour, condition) of proportionality, sexuality (see -al and -ity) Stressed suffix

-ably adv notably, fashionably Neutral

-an adj urban Neutral

-ad noun group triad, monad

-an adj, noun republican, Roman, veteran Neutral

-ade noun lemonade, accolade, blockade Stressed suffix

-ance noun relevance, annoyance, repentance Neutral

-age noun forming a noun marriage, mileage, garage Neutral

-ancy noun pregnancy, redundancy, vacancy Neutral

-agogy noun leading pedagogy, demagogy Stressed suffix

-ant adj relevant, dominant, pleasant Neutral

-ant noun assitant, immigrant, inhabitant Neutral

Neutral -ar adj linear, alveolar Neutral

-ate verb concentrate, oscillate Neutral

-ar noun beggar, liar Neutral

-athlon noun sporting event pentathlon, decathlon Stressed suffix

-ard noun drunkard, coward, wizard, steward Neutral

-ary adj ordinary, secondary, military Neutral

-ation noun state or concept of invitation, pronunciation, starvation Stressed suffix

-ary noun dictionary, library, seminary Neutral

-ation noun from verb with -ate, state or concept of concentration, oscillation, narration Stressed suffix

-arch noun ruler, leader monarch, tetrarch Neutral

-ative adj talkative, lucrative, affirmative Neutral

-atory noun laboratory, conversatory

-archy noun rule, leadership gynarchy, anarchy Neutral

-bound adv heading in the direction of inbound, outbound, citybound

-ate adj literate, desperate, fortunate Neutral

-cele, -coele, -coel noun body cavity mucocoel or mucocoele

-ate noun certificate, advocate

-cele noun

tumor, hernia hydatidocele

-centesis noun puncturing amniocentesis, rachicentesis

-ectasia, -ectasis noun stretching out brochiectasis, telangiectasia

-cephalic adj relating to the head anencephaly, macrocephaly

-ectomy noun surgical removal laryngectomy, vasectomy Stressed suffix

-chondrion noun small grainlike structure mitochondrion

-ed adj bored, tiled Neutral

-cide noun murder, killing agent suicide, vespacide, regicide, fratricide Neutral

-ee noun changes verb to a noun (the object of that verb) employee, referee, payee Stressed suffix

-city noun practice atrocity

-eer adj engineer, overseer Stressed suffix

-cy noun expressing the quality of an adjective diplomacy, literacy, idiocy Neutral

-eme noun linguistic unit lexeme, phoneme, morpheme

-cycle noun circle, cycle, unit of radio frequency epicycle, hydrocycle Neutral

-emia noun blood condition leukemia, anaemia Stressed suffix

-dom noun state or condition of freedom, boredom, kingdom Neutral

-en adj golden, wooden, written, frozen Neutral

-en verb lessen, deafen, frighten

Neutral

western, northern Neutral

-enchyma noun cellular tissue mesenchyma, karyenchyma

-ery noun slavery, machinery, nunnery Neutral

-ence noun independence, violence, absence Neutral

-ese adj, noun nationality, language Chinese, Lebanese, Portuguese Stressed suffix

-ency noun frequency, clemency, consistency Neutral

-ent adj different, excellent, independent Neutral

-esque adj in the style of Pythonesque, Romanesque, picturesque Stressed suffix

-ent noun resident, regent, superintendent Neutral

-ess noun female actress, waitress, stewardess, priestess Neutral

-eous adj courteous Neutral

-esthesis, -esthesia noun sensation, feeling synesthesia, kinesthesis Stressed suffix

-etic -er adj noun energetic, sympathetic, frenetic changes verb to noun (the subject of that verb, see also -or) write, writer Neutral -ette noun small ~ -ergy diskette, statuette, usherette noun Stressed suffix work energy, synergy -fare noun -ern how things are going / coming along adj welfare, fanfare, warfare direction Stressed suffix

Neutral -ful adj full of, having some or much hopeful, useful Neutral

-ia noun abnormal state mania, apraxia, dementia, dysarthria Stress on previous syllable

-gate noun -iable a scandal, often political (back-formed from the Watergate adj scandal) Watergate, nipplegate sociable Neutral Stress on previous syllable

-gnosis noun knowing prognosis, diagnosis Stressed suffix

-ial adj special, filial, remedial Stress on previous syllable

-gon noun angle polygon, pentagon Neutral

-ian adj mammalian Stress on previous syllable

-ian adj, noun -gry Brazilian, Christian noun Stress on previous syllable adjective form of only 2 or 3 nouns in the English language angry, hungry Neutral -ian noun librarian, barbarian, physician -hedron Stress on previous syllable noun seat, face icosahedron, tetrahedron -iant Stressed suffix adj deviant, defiant Stress on previous syllable -holic adj love, addiction -iary alcoholic, workaholic adj Stressed suffix tertiary Stress on previous syllable -hood noun state/condition of, a group sharing characteristics brotherhood, adulthood, falsehood

-iate verb asphyxiate, deviate

Stress on previous syllable

cashier, financier, gondolier Stress on previous syllable

-ible adj capable, can do (same as -able) incredible, terrible, visible

?ify, ?fy verb to become, make clarify, specify, basify, vilify Stress on previous syllable

-ibly adv incredibly, responsibly, terribly Stress on previous syllable

-ile adj tactile, facile, volatile Neutral

-ic adj (adjective) neurotic, electronic, historic Stress on previous syllable

-illion large numbers million, billion

-ical adj historical, phonological, economical Stress on previous syllable

-ious adj delicious, ambitious, religious, vivacious Stress on previous syllable

-ics noun the study of Physics,Aerodynamics,Forensics, economics Stress on previous syllable

-ing noun noun from verb, in the process of doing, acting Neutral

-id adj (categorical) property (aspect) of hominid, tepid, candid, fervid (compare -al)

-ing noun bedding, stuffing, roofing Neutral

-iency noun expedieny Stress on previous syllable

-ion noun action, companion

-ient adj salient, sentient, expedient Stress on previous syllable

-ish adj adjective from noun; sort of; approximately foolish, selfish, greenish, tallish Stress on previous syllable

-ier noun

-ish adj, noun

nationality, language Spanish, Turkish, English Stress on previous syllable

-ism noun doctrine, act, practice, condition Protestantism, alcoholism, Buddhism, southernism Neutral

-ium noun metallic element (exception: helium) sodium, Calcium Stress on previous syllable

-ist noun person dentist, socialist, cellist Neutral

-ive adj make the noun an adjective defensive, aggressive, passive Neutral

-ista adept fashionista

-ization/-isation noun organization/organisation, categorization/categorisation Neutral

-ite noun member of a group socialite, Carmelite Neutral

-ize/-ise verb to cause, to be, to become materialize/materialise, idolize/idolise Neutral

-itis noun disease, inflammation hepatitis, gingivitis Stressed suffix

-izzle used for hip hop slang Americizzle

-kinesis noun movement (ability thereof) telekinesis

-itive adj sensitive Neutral

-itude noun attitude, gratitude, Beatitude Stress on previous syllable

-less adj lack of homeless, useless, careless Neutral

-ity noun expressing state or condition normality, formality, banality Stress on previous syllable

-let noun diminutive, or denoting a relation to some part of the body ringlet, hamlet, anklet Neutral

-like

adj having the qualities of childlike Neutral

-meter noun measuring device barometer, thermometer

-ling noun -metry smaller, younger, cuter or weaker version of the noun root noun OR sharing an identity or quality of the noun root (e.g. as a follower) measure darling, duckling, earthling, sapling symmetry, geometry, isometry Neutral -mony noun testimony, ceremony Neutral

-ly adj -like, having the attributes of stately, monthly Neutral

-ly adv -like, having the attributes of quickly Neutral

-morphism noun form isomorphism, homomorphism

-man noun person fireman, statesman Neutral

-most adj utmost, innermost Neutral

-mancy noun divination by crystallomancy, bibliomancy, necromancy Neutral

-ness noun abstract noun kindness, ruthlessness, darkness Neutral

-nik noun Slavic origin; corresponds to "-er" otkaznik, beatnik

-mania noun an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action kleptomania, megalomania, mythomania Stressed suffix

-ocracy noun system of government kakistocracy, democracy, androcracy Stressed suffix

-ment noun abstract noun movement, amazement, government Neutral

-ogram noun writing, description ideogram

Stressed suffix

-ography noun study of stenography, geography, photography Stressed suffix

-onym noun name, word antonym, consonym, heteronym

-opsy noun examination autopsy, biopsy

-oid adj resembling solenoid, hominoid

-oid noun resembling planetoid

-or noun changes verb to noun (see also -er), person actor, governor Neutral

-or or -our noun candor, fervour, color

-ologist noun one who studies a scientific subject archaeologist Stressed suffix

-ory adj auditory, sensory Neutral

-ology study, science biology, psychology, planetology Stressed suffix

-ory noun history, repository

-ome noun subject of an "-omics" genome

-ose adj full of, like, given to; carbohydrates, protein derivatives verbose; globose

-omics noun study of rules proteomics, economics Stressed suffix

-osis noun process, action, formation, diseased condition mitosis, osmosis, ostosis, psychosis

-onomy noun knowledge of astronomy Stressed suffix

-ous adj adjectival suffix porous, disastrous, nervous Neutral

-phagy, -phagia

noun eating monophagy

-ship noun abstract noun, state of being friendship, relationship, dictatorship Neutral

-philia noun attraction hemophilia

-phobia noun fear acrophobia, mysophobia

-sion noun noun that has been altered from a process decision, illusion Stress on previous syllable

-phone noun, adj sound, audio; speaker of a language telephone, homophone; Anglophone Neutral

-some adj tiresome, awesome, fulsome Stress on previous syllable

-stan noun land, country Afghanistan

-phyte noun plant, used in botany to create terms which categorise plants -sterbased on their life-history, growth-form or ecological preferences noun therophyte, halophyte person youngster, gangster Neutral -polis noun referring to city or big area -t Metropolis, Indianapolis adj burnt, spoilt Neutral -science noun knowing -th, -eth omniscience, prescience, conscience adj ordinal number tenth, millionth, twentieth -scope noun from Greek skopos, view; instrument for viewing and observing -th spaces microscope, telescope, kaleidoscope, periscope noun forming a noun growth, health, depth, strength -script noun written -tion manuscript, transcript noun noun that has been altered from a process evaporation, introduction

Stress on previous syllable

-tom, -tome noun part or segment dermatome

-vore, -vorous noun / adj to devour carnivore, herbivore

-tropism noun to turn phototropism

-ward or -wards adj, adv direction southward, inward, upward Neutral

-ty noun certainty, loyalty Neutral

-ware noun software hardware, software, freeware

-uary noun sanctuary, mortuary

-ways adj sideways, longways Neutral

-ulent adj turbulent, fraudulent

-wise adj direction clockwise, lengthwise Neutral

-uous adj tempestuous, unctuous, sensuous Neutral

-wright noun person who makes playwright, wheelwright, shipwright

-ure noun failure, exposure, temperature Neutral

-y adj having the quality of, inclined to runny, messy, chewy Neutral

-us noun inflammation ulcus

The following prefixes may appear as parts of words in the Englis language.

-ville noun city, town from French Nashville

Alongside a few "native" English prefixes (such as under- or withfind many which acted as prefixes in other languages (mainly Gre Latin or French) and which English has adopted in already-compo forms (such as deci- or pyro-).

A prefix may or may not operate productively: one can readily form coinages with multi-, but might not meaningfully succeed in doing twi-. Most Greco-Latin prefixes serve to form new words (classica compounds) in technical jargon.

Note that while some of the following morphemes alwaysamfunction as prefixes (co- or syn-, for example, others simple exemplify love linguistic roots that generally or commonly occur first in compound words, amorous, like spermamateur (compare Leptospermum) or even stand alone as definite words in their own right (under-, Anglo-). ambiPrefix around, either, encircling Meaning ambiguity, ambidexterity, Ambisagrus Examples an(a)out of anachronism

a(n)not, without atonality, asexuality, amoral, anarchy, anonymous

abaway abduction, absolutism, ablution

andrman androgyny, androcentrism, android, androgen

acr(o)high, up, hill Acropolis, acrobatics

anemwind anemometer

adnear, at adrenal

AngloEnglish or British Anglo-Irish relations

aden(o)gland adenectomy

antebefore antebellum, antediluvian

aer(o)air aeronautics, aerodrome, aeroplane, aerodynamics

anthroporelating to human beings anthropology, anthropocentrism, anthropomorphic

agr(o)relating to farming agriculture

ant(i)against antidote, antibody, anticlockwise, antichrist

althigh altitude

archa(e)oancient archa(e)ologist, archa(e)ology

alteranother Alter-ego, alternate

astrocelestial body astrophysics, astrology

aurigold auriferous

brom(o)stench Bromine, bromide

aut(o)bronch(o)self relating to breathing autonomy, autobiography, automobile, autopilot, autopsy, bronchitis automatic

bar(o)heaviness, heavy barometer

cac(o)bad cacophony, cacography

bathydeep Bathyscaphe, bathysphere

cad/casa fall cadence, cascade

becompletely, excessively; forms transitive verbs bemuse, bespeak, bewail

carcin(o)relating to cancer carcinogenic

benwell Benediction, benign

cardi(o)heart cardiovascular, Cardiac arrest

bitwo bicycle, bijection, bicameralism

cent-, centihundred or hundredth centenarian, centimeter, centipede

bi(o)life biology, biography, biopsy

cephal(o)head cephalothorax

bibli(o)relating to books bibliophilia, bibliography

chrys(o)gold chryselephantine, chrysoberylchrysography

blast(o)bud, germination blastocyst

chrom(ato)colour chromatic, chromosome

bradyslow bradycardia

chron(o)time chronology, chronic, chronicle

circumaround circumcision, circumlocution, circumference

cyt(o)cell (originally hollow receptacle) cytoplasm, cytology

cotogether cooperative, co-belligerence

culpfault culpable, culprit

colpovagina colpospasm

dactyl(o)finger, digit dactylogram

conwith, together connotation, Congress, congregation

detaking something away, the opposite decentralisation, dehydration, Denazification

contragainst, opposite contradiction, contraception, controversy

dec(a)-, dek(a)ten decamerous, December, decimeter, decade

cosm(o)world cosmology, cosmopolitan, cosmotheism

decione tenth deciliter

counteragainst, opposite counterpoint, Counter-Reformation

dem(o)people demographics, democracy

crin(o)cry(shed tears) endocrinology

derm(at)skin dermatology, dermatitis

cryofrost, icy cold cryogenics, cryoelectronics, cryostorage

ditwo, double dichromic

crypt(o)hidden cryptography, cryptozoology

diday diurnal

cupricopper cupriferous

diathrough diameter, diagnosis, diarrhea

didact(o)apt at teaching didactic

ento make ~ (transitive verb) enrage, enlarge

disapart, separation, reverse, opposite dissent, discovery, disambiguation

end(o)-, ent(o)inside endoscope, endothermic, entoblast

dok, dox(o)view, teaching doxology, dogma, orthodox

enne(a)nine enneastyle, enneagram

dynam(o)power, force dynamic, dynamite, dynamo

enter(o)intestine enteritis

dysbad, deformed, abnormal dyspepsia, dystrophy, dysarthria

entomoinsect entomologist, entomophily

e-, ex-, ecout of eject, exculpate

eoearliest, most primitive eobacterium, eohippus

ecohouse economy, ecology, ecosystem, ecotage

ep(i)-, ephupon, above, around epitaxy, epicenter, ephemeral

ectoouter, external ectomorphic, ectoparasite

erg(o)work, labour ergonomics synergy, energy

edaph(o)soil edaphic

erythr(o)red erythrocite

electr(o)relating to Electricity electrocution, electroencephalogram

erot(o)love erotic, erotomania

embry(o)embryo embryogenesis

ethnorace, people ethnology, ethnolinguistics, ethnocentrism

eugood eulogy, euthanasia, eugenics, euphemism

heliosun heliocentic, heliotherapy

EuroEuropean Euro-MP, Eurocentric

hemihalf hemimetabolous, hemisphere

exformer, out of ex-wife, ex-president, exculpate

h(a)emo-/h(a)ematoblood hemophilia, hemophobia, h(a)ematologist

exooutside exoskeleton

heptseven heptagon, heptachord

extraheter(o)outside, beyond, additional different extra-thin, extra-special extraordinary, extraterrestrial, extraordinary heterogenous, heterosexual

florrelating to flowers florist

hex(a)six hexapod, hexagonal, hexameter

forebefore, in advance foreskin, foreshadowing

hippohorse hippophile, hippodrome, hippogryph

gast(e)stomach gast(e)ropod

hol(o)whole, entire hologram, holistic, Holocene

geoearth geography, geology

hom(o)same homogenous, homosexual, homophone

glossolanguage glossogeny, glossogony, glossolalia

hydrowater hydrogen, hydry

gynfemale gynaecology, gynoid

hygrohumidity, moisture hygrometer, hygroscopy

hyperMac- or Mcexcessive2, having more than three spatial dimensions (mathematics) "son of" (often used in last names) hyperactive, hyperthyroidism McCarthy, Kirsty MacColl

hypnosleep hypnogenetic, hypnotherapy

macrolarge macrobiology, macroscopic

hyp(o)below2 hypodermic

malbad malpractice, malnutrition

inintensively inflammable, invaluable

maximany ,most maximal, maximum

in-1 not infallibility, illiteracy, immoral, irrelevant

McMcDonalds-like, often derogatory McJob, McPaper (See McWords)

interbetween, mutual intervention, international, internet

mega(l)million, very large megabyte, megaphone, megalopolis

intrawithin intramural, intravenous, intraocular

mesomiddle mesoamerica, mesoscale

kilothousand kilogram, kilowatt

metaafter, beyond metacarpal, metaphysics, metatarsal

kinesimovement kinesitherapy

microone millionth, very small microgram, microorganism, micronation, microscope

lithoRock lithosphere

midin the middle of mid-term elections, Mid-Autumn Festival

LusoPortuguese lusophone

millithousandth milligram, milliliter

minismall miniskirt, miniseries

oct(o)-, oct(a)eight octane, octopod, octagon, October

misbad, wrong miscarriage, misanthropy, misogyny, mistake

omniall omnidirectional, omnivore, omnipotent

mon(o)one, single monolith, monorail, monotony, monocle

oo- ("oo-oh") egg, ovum oocyte

multimany multiculturalism, multilingualism

ornithobird ornithologist, ornithomancy

mycorelating to fungi mycology, mycoprotein

osteobone osteoblast, osteosis, osteoporosis

myri(a)Ten thousand myriagon, myriad

outmore, to a greater degree outdo, outrun

necrodeath necrobiosis, necrophilia

over- (noun) more than normal, too much overpopulation, over-consumption, overlord

nephrokidney nephrology, nephrotomy

over- (verb) to do too much, to (verb) over overlook, overspend, oversee

nonnot nonsense, non-denial denial

pan(to)-1 universal, all-embracing pandect, pantechnicon, Pantocrator, pamphlet

nonnine nonagon

parabeyond, near, contrary paralegal, parachute

O'(son) of (often used in Irish family-names) O'Brian

pent(a)five pentagon

peri(o)around, about, enclosing, near perimysium, pericardium, periosteum, perinatal

quasilike, as if quasiparticle

photolight, photon photograph, photosensetive, photosynthesis

quinquefive quinquesection,

phytorelating to plants phytogeography, phytoplankton

quint(i)fifth, five quintiped, quintet

postafter postpartum depression, postmodernism

reagain, repeatedly reduction, reflection, revolution

prebefore prediction, preview, precedent, prenatal care

rect(i)proper, straight rectify, rectangle

profor, in favour of pro-choice, protagonist

retrobackward retrograde, retrospective

protoprimitive, original protostar, protoplasm

scler(o)hard scleroderma, atherosclerosis

pseudofalse pseudoscience, pseudonym

semihalf, partial semi-automatic, semi-detached

psychomind, mental psychology, psychosomatic

sept(a)seven September

pyrofire, flame pyromania

sex(i)six sexivalent

quadr-, quartfour quadrangle, quadruplet, quartic, quartile

SinoChinese Sino-American relations

spasm(o)spasm spasmatic, spasmolysis

stylpillar stylus, stylist, stylopodium

spermseed spermophile, spermine

subbelow, less than, under,2 subset, subsonic, subway, subtitles

spher(o)sphere, ball spherical, atmosphere

superextremely, more than,2 superhuman, Superego, supersonic

sphygm(o)pulsation sphygmomanometer, sphygmograph

syntogether, united, at the same time synergy, synchronicity, synesthesia

splen(o)spleen splenomegaly

tach(y)rapid, accelerated tachycardia, tachymeter, tachyon

splanchn(o)viscera splanchnopathy

tel(e)distance, distant telecommunications, television, telephoto lens, telodynamic

schiz(o)-, schist(o)split schizophrenia, schistocyte

tel(o)end teloblast, telophase

sciknow, knowledge science, omniscient

theogod theology, theogony

seismoearthquake seismography, seismometer, seismology

transacross, beyond transfer, transubstantiation, transatlantic, Trans-Siberian railway

staphyl(o)cluster, uvula staphylococcus, staphyloplasty

trithree triangle, tricolor, triptych

stom(ato)mouth stomatitis, stomach

twitwo twilight, twig, twin

ber- / ubersuper- / excessive / very uberfic, bermensch, bercool

ultraextremely, beyond certain limit ultramontanism, ultraviolet

un1not, opposite, take something away unconstitutional, undelete

underbelow, incompletely underestimate, underage, undercook

unione, single uniform, unification

uphigher upscale, update, upgrade, upheld

urfirst, original urtext

ur(o)urine uric, urinal

vitalife vitamin, vital

withtogether, united withhold, withstand

zoo- ("zoo-oh") relating to animals zoomorphic, zoology, zoophilia