SUFFIXES

Suffixes

-able/-ible	changes a verb into an adjective meaning 'able to be' avoid avoidable admire admirable like likeable
-age	changes a verb into a noun meaning 'the action described by the verb or the result of that action' marry marriage break breakage spill spillage
-al	1 changes a noun into an adjective meaning 'relating to' culture cultural nation national nature natural 2 changes a verb into a noun meaning 'the action described by the verb' approve approval remove removal
-an, -ian	1 makes a noun meaning 'a person who does something' historian politician 2 makes an adjective meaning 'belonging somewhere' American
-ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency	makes a noun meaning 'an action, state, or quality' performance independence preference
-ation, -ion	changes a verb into a noun meaning 'the process of the action described by the verb, or the result of that action' educate education explain explanation connect connection
-ed	makes an adjective meaning, 'having this thing or quality' bearded coloured surprised
-ee	changes a verb into a noun meaning 'someone that something is done to' employ employee interview interviewee train trainee
-en	changes an adjective into a verb meaning 'to become or make something become' thick thicken fat fatten soft soften
-ence, -ency	See -ance
-er, -or	changes a verb into a noun meaning 'the person or thing that does the activity' dance dancer employ employer act actor cook cooker (= a machine for cooking) time timer
-ful	changes a noun into an adjective meaning, 'having a particular quality' beauty beautiful power powerful use useful
-hood	makes a noun meaning 'the state of being something and the time when someone is something' childhood motherhood
-ian	See -an
-ible	See -able
-ical	changes a noun ending in -y or -ics into an adjective meaning 'relating to' history historical politics political
-ing	makes an adjective meaning 'making someone feel something' interest interesting surprise surprising shock shocking
-ion	See -ation
-ise	See -ize
-ish	makes an adjective meaning 1 slightly a greyish colour a smallish (= quite small) house 2 typical of or similar to a childish remark 3 approximately fiftyish (= about fifty)
-ist	1 makes a noun meaning 'a person who does a particular activity' artist novelist scientist 2 makes a noun and an adjective meaning 'someone with a particular set of beliefs' communist feminist
-ive	changes a verb into an adjective meaning 'having a particular quality or effect' attract attractive create creative explode explosive
-ize, -ise	changes an adjective into a verb meaning 'to make something become' modern modernize commercial commercialize
-less	changes a noun into an adjective meaning 'without' homeless people a meaningless statement a hopeless situation
-like	changes a noun into an adjective meaning 'typical of or similar to' childlike trust a cabbage-like vegetable
-ly	1 changes an adjective into an adverb describing the way that something is done She spoke slowly Drive safely. 2 makes an adjective and an adverb meaning 'happening every day, night, week, etc' a daily newspaper We hold the meeting weekly. 3 changes a noun into an adjective meaning 'like that person or thing' mother motherly coward cowardly
-ment	changes a verb into a noun meaning ' the action or process described by a verb, or its result' develop development disappoint disappointment
-ness	changes an adjective into a noun meaning the quality or condition described by the adjective sweet sweetness happy happiness dark darkness ill illness
-ology	makes a noun meaning 'the study of something' psychology (= the study of the mind) sociology (= the study of society)
-or	See -er
-ous	changes a noun into an adjective meaning 'having that quality' danger dangerous ambition ambitious
-phile	makes a noun meaning 'enjoying or liking something' a Francophile (= someone who loves France) a bibliophile (= someone who loves books)
-ship	makes a noun showing involvement between people friendship a relationship partnership
-ward, -wards	makes an adverb meaning 'towards a direction or place' inward forward homeward
-wise	changes a noun into an adverb meaning 'relating to this subject' Weather-wise, the holiday was great. How are we doing time-wise?
-y	changes a noun into an adjective meaning ‘having a lot of something (often something bad)’ noise noisy dirt dirty smell smelly