suffix

[ noun suhf-iks; verb suhf-iks, suh-fiks ]

noun

1. Grammar. an affix that follows the element to which it is added, as -ly in kindly.
2. something added to the end of something else.

verb (used with object)

1. Grammar. to add as a suffix.
2. to affix at the end of something.
3. to fix or put under.

verb (used without object)

, Grammar.

1. to admit a suffix.
2. to add a suffix.

suffix

/ ˈsʌfɪksəl; sʌˈfɪkʃən /

noun

1. grammar an affix that follows the stem to which it is attached, as for example -s and -ness in dogs and softness Compare prefix
2. anything that is added at the end of something else

verb

1. tr grammar to add (a morpheme) as a suffix to the end of a word
2. tr to add (something) at the end of a sentence, comment, or piece of writing

suffix

1. A letter or a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning. For example, adding the suffix -ter to the adjective hot turns it into the comparative adjective hotter , and adding the suffix -ly to the adjective quick turns it into the adverb quickly . Other examples of words with suffixes are: “will ing ,” “manage ment ,” “service able ,” “harmon ize ,” and “joy ful .” ( Compare prefix .)

Derived Forms

• suffixion, noun
• suffixal, adjective

Other Words From

• suf·fix·al [suhf, -ik-s, uh, l, s, uh, -, fik, -], adjective
• suf·fix·a·tion [suhf-ik-, sey, -sh, uh, n], suf·fix·ion [s, uh, -, fik, -sh, uh, n], noun
• un·suffixed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffix¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from New Latin suffixum, noun use of neuter of Latin suffixus, past participle of suffīgere “to attach on top of ,” equivalent to suf- suf- + fīgere “to fasten”; fix

Word History and Origins

Origin of suffix¹

C18: from New Latin suffixum, from Latin suffixus fastened below, from suffīgere, from sub- + fīgere to fasten

Example Sentences

For those of you who did not grow up in Yiddish-infused households, let me briefly explain: the suffix -eleh is a diminutive term of affection.

From Salon

She closely reads passages from their textbooks, breaks apart prefixes and suffixes and identifies root words.

From Los Angeles Times

The word “logic” comes from the Greek term “logos” which is the root for our suffix -ology.

From Salon

And because Jefferson's original moniker was spelled as Megalonyx, any other subsequent spellings of the name, like some that utilize the -onix suffix, are incorrect.

From Science Daily

From there, they used his established suffixes to come up with a noun.

From New York Times

More About Suffix

What does suffix mean?

A suffix is a letter or group of letters placed at the end of a word to create a new word. For example, you can add the suffix -y to sleep to make sleepy or the suffix -er to loud to make louder.

Suffixes are a handy tool of grammar that allows you to make a new word with a meaning that is closely related to the word the suffix is being attached to.

Suffixes sometimes change the part of speech of the words they are added to. The verb create, for example, becomes the noun creation when you add the suffix -tion to it. To make create an adjective, you’d add the suffix -ive to make creative.

Sometimes, a suffix changes the meaning of the word it is attached to. For example, the word defense means protection, but if you add the suffix -less, you end up with the adjective defenseless, which means unprotected.

Why is suffix important?

The first records of the word suffix come from around 1595. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb suffīgere, which means “to attach on top of.”

A suffix is attached to the end of a word. Another type of affix commonly used in English is the prefix, which is attached to the beginning of a word, as with re- in reinvent.

Some suffixes are so common that you can easily tell what part of speech the word with the suffix is, even if you don’t know the exact definition, just by looking at the suffix. The suffix -ness, for example, turns adjectives and participles into nouns that mark a state or quality. For example, the words selfish, handsome, and quick become selfishness, handsomeness, and quickness.

Did you know ... ?

Many languages use suffixes. For example, French uses -ette to denote smallness, Spanish uses -ista to denote a person who does something (like English’s -er), and the German -ismus to denote an action or idea (like English’s -ism).

What are real-life examples of suffix?

This chart gives examples of some commonly used suffixes:

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2017/03/adjectiv-endlings.png" alt="" width="474" height="395" />

Bellevue College (Health Sciences, Education & Wellness Institute)

Tons of English words have suffixes.

Annoy. Annoying. Annoyed.

Amazing how suffixes can change the nuance and meaning of a word.

— Audrey Tan (@Caffeinefixati1) August 17, 2020

The suffix -phoria refers to feeling, as in euphoria or dysphoria.

— Medical Vocabulary (@MedVocab) August 19, 2020

What other words are related to suffix?

• affix
• prefix
• infix
• grammar
• diminutive
• comparative

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

A suffix is a letter or group of letters placed at the beginning of a word to create a new word.