List of Suffixes with Meanings

Use this list of Suffixes in English with roots and meanings for Grade 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 elementary, middle school and high school students and kids to learn the roots and meanings of Suffixes in English.

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Noun Suffixes

age (Noun suffix)
Meaning: relating to; relationship
Examples of Use: adage; homage

an, ian (Noun suffix)
Meaning: belonging to ; concerned with
Examples of Use: American; agrarian; electrician

ant, ent (Noun suffix)
Meaning: agency or instrumentality
Examples of Use: servant; agent

ate (Noun suffix)
Meaning: office or function
Examples of Use: mandate; consulate

action, ition (Noun suffix)
Meaning: act or state of
Examples of Use: education, recognition

ese (Noun suffix)
Meaning: of; relating to
Examples of Use: Chinese; journalese

ine (Noun suffix)
Meaning: procedure; art
Examples of Use: medicine; discipline

ite (Noun suffix)
Meaning: native or citizen of
Examples of Use: urbanite; Brooklynite

ity (Noun suffix)
Meaning: state of being
Examples of Use: paucity; sagacity

oid (Noun suffix)
Meaning: something like
Examples of Use: anthropoid; alkaloid

or (Noun suffix)
Meaning: state or quality; agent or doer
Examples of Use: ardor; candor; aviator; auditor

ory (Noun suffix)
Meaning: a place of; serving for
Examples of Use: dormitory; ambulatory

tude (Noun suffix)
Meaning: that which is
Examples of Use: certitude; beatitude

ure (Noun suffix)
Meaning: process, being
Examples of Use: creature; procedure

Adjective Suffixes

aceous, acious (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: of the nature of
Examples of Use: mendacious, herbaceous

ant, ent (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: doing or being something
Examples of Use: ascendant; pleasant; resplendent

ate, ite (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: possessing or being
Examples of Use: desolate; delicate; favorite

cle, cule (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: little
Examples of Use: corpuscle; molecule; animalcule

escent (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: growing; in a state of
Examples of Use: obsolescent; adolescent

il, ile (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: pertaining to; suited for
Examples of Use: utensil; servile; civil

ine (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: like; characterized by
Examples of Use: feline; feminine

ive (Adjective suffix)
Meaning: having the nature or quality of
Examples of Use: positive; negative; active

Verb Suffixes

esce (Verb suffix)
Meaning: to increase; grow; become
Examples of Use: effervesce; coalesce

fy (Verb suffix)
Meaning: to make; to render
Examples of Use: electrify; deify

ize (Verb suffix)
Meaning: to render or make
Examples of Use: colonize; satirize

To Use other lessons in our Language Arts go to out Language Arts Index page