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Suffixes - Greek and Latin

​Suffixes are added to the end of root words and they change their meaning.

There are 3 types of suffixes:
​
  • Suffixes for Nouns
  • Suffixes for Adjectives
  • Suffixes for Verbs
 
For example -itis means “inflammation” and thus the word arthritis means “inflammation of the joints.”

Studying the Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes will help explain why words made up of those parts are spelled the way they are.

​The English language uses many Greek and Latin Suffixes, the most popular of which are listed below.

 

SUFFIXES FOR NOUNS

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-escence

state of

acquiescence, convalescence

-ism

state or doctrine of

imperialism, racism

-ist

someone who believes in

amorist, misogynist

-ity

state of being

felicity, elasticity

-ment

quality

enjoyment, merriment

-ology

study of

archaeology, theology

-tion

act or state of

redemption, elation

-y, -ry

state of

husbandry, trickery

-sis

action, process, condition

analysis, paralysis

-osis

(usually bad) condition

osmosis, thrombosis

-tes, -ter,

-tor, -ist

the agent, he who, that which

diabetes, daughter, orator, pragmatist

-iasis

disease, condition

psoriasis, elephantiasis

-sia

action, process, condition

euthanasia, anesthesia

-ia

action, process, condition

leukemia, dementia

-ma

result of action

stigma, aroma

-oma

swelling or tumor

glaucoma, sarcoma

-mos

result of action

thermos, rhythmos

-or

the agent that does

creator, flexor, director

-ion, -idium,

-iscus

small

creation, presidium,  meniscus

-ion

action, condition resulting from action

adhesion, retention, formulation

-ment

action, condition resulting from action

apartment, confinement, detachment

-ry

place, area for work, instrument

laboratory, apothecary

 

 

 

SUFFIXES FOR ADJECTIVES

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-able

capable

agreeable, perishable

-ian

one who is or does

musician, mortician

-ic

make, cause

pedantic, romantic

-ile

pertain to

servile, gentile

-ious

have the quality of

pernicious, rambunctious

-ive

have the nature of

active, defensive

-less

without

careless, seamless

-tic / -ic

 capability, fitness

acoustic, static, tonic, graphic

-id

in state or condition of

arid, frigid, placid

-ite

belonging to, of the nature of

composite, requisite

-itis

(usually inflamed) condition

arthritis, laryngitis

-oid

in the shape of, like

thyroid, steroid

-al, -ar, -ile

connect with, pertain to

digital, regular, senile

-ose, -ous,

-lent

full of

cellulose, fibrous, corpulent

 

 

 

SUFFIXES FOR VERBS

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-ate

to make

hyphenate, carbonate

-ify

to make

justify, terrify

-ize

to bring about

actualize, sterilize

 

Picture
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  • Home
    • About
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
    • Privacy Policy
  • Services
    • Proofreading
    • Translations
  • Resources
    • Grammar >
      • Greek Numerals
      • Latin Numerals
      • Greek Root Words
      • Latin Root Words
      • Prefixes
      • Suffixes
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling >
      • British versus American English
      • Canadian English
      • Commonly Misspelled Words that Your Spell Checker Won’t Catch!
      • Nouns That Never Take the Plural “s”
      • Words with Silent Letters in English
  • Contact Us

Suffixes - Greek and Latin

​Suffixes are added to the end of root words and they change their meaning.

There are 3 types of suffixes:
​
  • Suffixes for Nouns
  • Suffixes for Adjectives
  • Suffixes for Verbs
 
For example -itis means “inflammation” and thus the word arthritis means “inflammation of the joints.”

Studying the Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes will help explain why words made up of those parts are spelled the way they are.

​The English language uses many Greek and Latin Suffixes, the most popular of which are listed below.

 

SUFFIXES FOR NOUNS

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-escence

state of

acquiescence, convalescence

-ism

state or doctrine of

imperialism, racism

-ist

someone who believes in

amorist, misogynist

-ity

state of being

felicity, elasticity

-ment

quality

enjoyment, merriment

-ology

study of

archaeology, theology

-tion

act or state of

redemption, elation

-y, -ry

state of

husbandry, trickery

-sis

action, process, condition

analysis, paralysis

-osis

(usually bad) condition

osmosis, thrombosis

-tes, -ter,

-tor, -ist

the agent, he who, that which

diabetes, daughter, orator, pragmatist

-iasis

disease, condition

psoriasis, elephantiasis

-sia

action, process, condition

euthanasia, anesthesia

-ia

action, process, condition

leukemia, dementia

-ma

result of action

stigma, aroma

-oma

swelling or tumor

glaucoma, sarcoma

-mos

result of action

thermos, rhythmos

-or

the agent that does

creator, flexor, director

-ion, -idium,

-iscus

small

creation, presidium,  meniscus

-ion

action, condition resulting from action

adhesion, retention, formulation

-ment

action, condition resulting from action

apartment, confinement, detachment

-ry

place, area for work, instrument

laboratory, apothecary

 

 

 

SUFFIXES FOR ADJECTIVES

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-able

capable

agreeable, perishable

-ian

one who is or does

musician, mortician

-ic

make, cause

pedantic, romantic

-ile

pertain to

servile, gentile

-ious

have the quality of

pernicious, rambunctious

-ive

have the nature of

active, defensive

-less

without

careless, seamless

-tic / -ic

 capability, fitness

acoustic, static, tonic, graphic

-id

in state or condition of

arid, frigid, placid

-ite

belonging to, of the nature of

composite, requisite

-itis

(usually inflamed) condition

arthritis, laryngitis

-oid

in the shape of, like

thyroid, steroid

-al, -ar, -ile

connect with, pertain to

digital, regular, senile

-ose, -ous,

-lent

full of

cellulose, fibrous, corpulent

 

 

 

SUFFIXES FOR VERBS

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

-ate

to make

hyphenate, carbonate

-ify

to make

justify, terrify

-ize

to bring about

actualize, sterilize

 

Picture