Suffixes

 By studying the following list, you can learn how suffixes can and do change the meaning of words.

Suffix          Meaning             Usage

able, ible	capable of (adjective suffix)	portable - able to be carried legible - able to be read
ac, ic	like, pertaining to	cardiac - pertaining to heart aquatic - pertaining to water
acious, icious	full of	audacious - full of daring, avaricious - full of greed
al	pertaining to	maniacal - insane portal - doorway logical - pertaining to logic
ant, ent	full of	eloquent - pertaining to fluid, effective speech. verdant - green
ary	like, connected with	dictionary - book connected with words honorary - connected with honor
ate	to make (verb suffix)	consecrate - to make holy mitigate - make less severe
ation	that which is (noun suffix)	irritation - that which is irritated
cy	state of being (noun suffix)	democracy - ruled by people obstinacy - obstinate state, stubbornness
eer, er, or	person who (noun suffix)	mountaineer - person who climbs mountains teacher - one who teaches advisor - person who advises
escent	becoming (adjective suffix)	evanescent - tending to vanish pubescent - arriving at puberty
fic	making, doing (adjective suffix)	fantastic - arousing great wonder terrific - arousing great fear
fy	to make (verb suffix)	magnify - to enlarge petrify - turn to stone
iferous	producing, bearing (adjective suffix)	pestiferous - carrying disease vociferous - having a loud voice
il, ile	pertaining to, capable of (adjective suffix)	civil - polite docile - easily taught or led
ism	doctrine, belief (noun suffix)	monotheism - belief in one God socialism - kind of governance
ist	dealer, doer (noun suffix)	realist - one who is realistic dentist - deals with teeth
ity	state of being (noun suffix)	sagacity - state of being wise
ive	like (adjective suffix)	quantitative - concerned with number or volume
ize, ise	to make (verb suffix)	harmonize - make harmonious revolutionize - make revolutionary
oid	resembling, like (adjective suffix)	ovoid - like an egg anthropoid - resembling a human
ose	full of (adjective suffix)	verbose - full of words
osis	condition (noun suffix)	psychosis - diseased mental condition hypnosis - induced sleep
ous	full of (adjective suffix)	nauseous - full of nausea ludicrous - foolish
tude	state of (noun suffix)	fortitude - state of strength certitude - state of certainty