SuffixesWhat are Suffixes? Consider this sentence. My friend has given me a book as a gift for my birthday. In this sentence, the word ‘friend’ has been used as a noun to denote a person. Consider this sentence: My friendship with Clinton is growing like a banyan tree. Here, the word ‘friendship’ has been used to mention the relationship between Clinton and me. But the word friendship is a derivative of the word ‘friend’. Such a derivative is created by adding ‘ship’ at the end of the word. The ‘ship’ is called Suffix. The addition, which is added at the end of the word, is called ‘Suffix’. Examples: Man and manhood Here, ‘hood’ is a suffix. Free and freedom Here, ‘dom’ is a suffix. The origin of Suffixes is the languages of Latin, Greek and English itself. The Suffixes can be categorized as follows: 1. Suffixes of Nouns of English origin 2. Suffixes of Adjectives of English origin 3. Suffixes of Verbs of English origin 4. Suffixes of Adverbs of English origin 5. Suffixes of Nouns of Latin origin 6. Suffixes of Adjectives of Latin origin 7. Suffixes of Verbs of Latin origin 8. Suffixes of Greek origin 1. Suffixes of Nouns of English origin: i. Denoting the doer: Er –Painter, baker Ar – beggar Or – sailor Yer - lawyer Ster – spinster, punster, songster Ter – daughter, sister Ther – father, mother, brother, ii. Denoting state, action, condition, being, etc… Dom – freedom, martyrdom, wisdom Hood – manhood, childhood, Head - godhead Lock – wedlock, Ledge - knowledge Ness – darkness, boldness, goodness, sweetness Red – hatred, kindred Ship – friendship, hardship, lordship Th – health, stealth, growth iii. Denoting diminutives: El – satchel, kernel, Le - girdle, handle En – maiden, kitten, chicken Ie – dearie, birdie, lassie Kin – lambkin, napkin Let – leaflet Ling – ducking, darling, stripling, weakling Ock – hillock, bullock 2. Suffixes of Adjectives of English origin: Ed – having Examples: Gifted, talented, wretched, learned En – made of Examples: Wooden, golden, woolen, earthen Ful – full of Examples: Hopeful, fruitful, joyful Ish – somewhat like Examples: Boorish, reddish, girlish Less – free from Examples: Fearless, shameless, hopeless, senseless, boundless Ly – like Examples: Manly, godly, sprightly Some – with the quality of Examples: Wholesome, meddlesome, gladsome, quarrelsome Y – with the quality of Examples: Wealthy, healthy, windy, slimy, greedy, needy, thirsty, dirty 3. Suffixes of Verbs of English origin: En – causative, forming transitive verbs Examples: Weaken, sweeten, gladden, deaden, strengthen etc… Se – to make Examples: Rinse, cleanse Er – intensive Examples: Chatter, glitter, glimmer, fritter, flutter 4. Suffixes of Adverbs of English origin: Ly – like Examples: Boldly, wisely Long – towards Examples: Headlong, sidelong Ward – turning to Examples: Homeward, backward, upwards Way – to wards Examples: Straight a way, anyway, always Wise – manner Examples: Likewise, otherwise 5. Suffixes of Nouns of Latin origin: i. Denoting chiefly the agents or doer of a thing Ain – chieftain An –artisan En – citizen On – surgeon Ar – scholar Er – preacher Eer – engineer Ier – financier Ary – missionary Ate – advocate Ee – trustee Ey – attorney Y – Deputy Or –emperor Our –saviour Eur –Amateur Er – interpreter ii. Denoting state, action or the result of an action Age – bondage, marriage, breakage, leakage Ance – abundance, brilliance, assistance, excellence, innocence Cy – fancy, accuracy, lunacy, bankruptcy Ion – action, option, union Ice – service, cowardice Ise – exercise Ment – improvement, judgment, punishment Mony – parsimony, matrimony, testimony Tude – attitude, altitude, magnitude, servitude, fortitude Ty – cruelty, frailty, credulity Ure – pleasure, forfeiture, verdure Y – Misery, victory iii. Denoting Diminutives: Cule (ule, cel, sel, el, le) – animalcule, globule, parcel, damsel, chapel, circle Et – owlet, lancet, trumpet Ette – cigarette, coquette iv. Denoting places: Ary (ery, ry) – dispensary, library, nunnery, treasury Ter (tre) – cloister, theatre 6.Suffixes of Adjectives of Latin origin Al – national, regal, mortal, fatal An –human Ane- humane, mundane Ar – regular, familiar Ary – customary, contrary, necessary, ordinary, honorary Ate – fortunate, temperate, obstinate Ble – feeble, Laughable Able- Laughable Ible – sensible Esque – picturesque, grotesque Id – humid, vivid, lucid Ile – servile, fragile, juvenile Ine – feminine, canine, feline, divine Ive – active, attentive, sportive Lent – corpulent, indolent, turbulent, virulent Ose – verbose, Ous – dangerous, onerous, copious 7. Suffixes of Verbs of Latin origin Ate – assassinate, captivate, exterminate Esce – acquiesce, effervesce Fy – simplify, purify, fortify, sanctify, terrify Ish – publish, nourish, punish, banish 8. Suffixes of Greek origin : Ic – angelic, cynic, phonemic, phonetic, Ique – unique Ist – artist, chemist Isk – asterisk, obelisk Ism – patriotism, despotism, enthusiasm Asm - enthusiasm Ize – civilize, sympathize, criticize etc… Sis – crisis, analysis, heresy, poesy Sy - heresy, poesy E – Catastrophe Y – Monarchy, philosophy There are few more Suffixes of French origin : Ee – This suffix is added to nouns to denote the person who takes a passive share in an action. Examples :Employee, payee, legatee, trustee, referee Or, ar, er, eer, ier – denoting a person who performs a certain act or function Examples: Emperor, scholar, officer, engineer, gondolier Ist – denoting a person who follows a certain trade or pursuit Examples: Chemist, theosophist, artist, nihilist Ism – forming abstract noun Example: Patriotism Ize or ise – forming verbs from nouns and adjectives Examples: Crystallize, moralize, baptize The Etymology of innumerable words is in another page. | ||||||||||
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