Suffixes
Suffixes
Suffixes are word parts added to the end of a word. Like prefixes (word parts added to the beginning of a word), suffixes modify meaning. Unlike prefixes, suffixes can also change a word’s grammatical class (its part of speech). That means a suffix can turn a noun into a verb, an adjective, or an adverb so the word fits the grammar of a sentence.
Take the root word “act,” meaning “do.” By adding different suffixes, you can build several related words:
- “action” (act + “-ion,” meaning “result of”)
- “acting” (act + “-ing,” meaning “process of”)
- “actor” (act + “-or,” meaning “person”)
Suffixes give you a flexible way to build meaning. The parts don’t always join letter for letter: a connecting vowel (the -o- in psych-o-logy) or a spelling change (pity becomes piti- in pitiless) often joins them. Next, we’ll look at some common suffixes and how they work in real words.
-able/-ible
Meaning: capable of (forms adjectives)
Example words: Avoidable, relatable, debatable, eligible
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Avoidable: A-void-able, meaning “able to escape or empty away.” To avoid something is to go around it, steer clear of it, or try to escape from it. Adding the suffix -able means someone is capable of avoiding it.
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Relatable: Re-lat-able, meaning “able to carry back.” When something is relatable, it’s understandable to others because they may have had a similar experience. People are able to sympathize (or “carry”) the same type of feeling.
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Debatable: De-bat-able, meaning “able to fight away.” A debate is a verbal argument or discussion. If a topic is debatable, it can be fought over verbally.
-ate
Meaning: to make, cause, or act (forms verbs); state or quality of (forms nouns and adjectives)
Example words: Activate, ambulate, congregate, collaborate
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Activate: Activ-ate, meaning “to make active.” When something is activated, it’s set in motion - it moves from a state of “non-doing” to doing.
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Ambulate: Ambul-ate, meaning “to walk.” To ambulate is to walk or move about.
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Congregate: Con-greg-ate, meaning “to flock together.” To congregate is to come together as a group, much like birds flock together.
-ism
Meaning: belief, practice, act, or style (forms nouns)
Example words: Atheism, criticism, impressionism, optimism
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Atheism: A-the-ism, meaning “without a belief in god.” Atheism is the belief that there is no god, or the lack of belief in any god.
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Criticism: Critic-ism, meaning “the act of judging.” Criticism is the act of judging, analyzing, or critiquing something.
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Impressionism: Im-press-ion-ism, meaning “an art style built on impressions.” Impressionism is an art style that tries to capture a scene’s immediate visual impression.
-less
Meaning: without (forms adjectives)
Example words: Reckless, witless, ruthless, pitiless
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Reckless: Reck-less, meaning “without care.” Someone who is reckless doesn’t care about the possible consequences of potentially dangerous or harmful actions.
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Witless: Wit-less, meaning “without knowledge.” Witless means foolish or lacking in intelligence.
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Ruthless: Ruth-less, meaning “without compassion.” To be ruthless is to be merciless or cruel, as a ruthless individual lacks pity or compassion.
-logy
Meaning: study of (forms nouns)
Example words: Psychology, theology, geology, dermatology
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Psychology: Psych-o-logy, meaning “study of the mind.” Psychology is the science of studying the mind, including mental processes, emotions, and behavior.
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Theology: Theo-logy, meaning “study of god.” Theology is the study of god and religion from a religious perspective, focusing on divinity, history, and religious inquiry.
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Geology: Geo-logy, meaning “study of the Earth.” Geology is the study of the Earth, including its history, origins, structure, and components.
-tion/-sion
Meaning: state of or act of (forms nouns)
Example words: Attention, direction, accusation, revelation
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Attention: At-ten-tion, meaning “the act of stretching towards.” Attention is the act of listening, noticing, concentrating, or observing. To give attention to something is to “stretch” your mind towards it.
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Direction: Di-rec-tion, meaning “the act of guiding straight.” To give someone a direction is to guide them (straight) towards a particular path or action.
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Accusation: Ac-cus-ation, meaning “the act of bringing a charge against [someone].” An accusation is a charge or claim of wrongdoing.
Other common suffixes
The suffixes above are some of the most common, but you’ll see others on the exam too. This table gives you a quick reference for a few more.
The following table lists nine more common suffixes, along with each suffix’s meaning and the part of speech it usually forms.
| Suffix | Meaning | Part of speech |
|---|---|---|
| -ous | full of | adjective |
| -ic/-ive | relating to | adjective |
| -ist | person who | noun |
| -cide | killing | noun |
| -er/-or | person who | noun |
| -ful | full of | adjective |
| -ment/-ness | state of | noun |
| -ize/-ify | to make | verb |
| -ly | in a way | adverb |
Example: Using a suffix in context
“The guide’s reckless driving alarmed the passengers.”
In this sentence, reckless most nearly means:
A. skilled B. slow C. careless D. nervous
- The suffix -less signals an adjective meaning “without,” so “reckless” combines a root with “without [something].”
- The root “reck” means “care,” so reckless means “without care.”
- The sentence’s negative tone (“alarmed the passengers”) points to dangerous driving, which matches “careless” far better than “skilled,” “slow,” or “nervous.”
Answer: C. careless