This is an incomplete list of SUFFIXES in English. Note that this list includes only derivational suffixes (which form new words, often of a different part of speech) and suffixes which serve to mark the part of speech. It does not include the inflectional suffixes which only produce new forms of a word without changing the part of speech, eg -s for the plural of nouns.

Suffix Part of speech Meaning Examples Effect on word stress 

-able adj capable, can do usable, notable, comfortable Neutral 

-ably adv notably, fashionably Neutral 

-ad noun group triad, monad 

-ade noun lemonade, accolade, blockade Stressed suffix 

-age noun forming a noun marriage, mileage, garage Neutral 

-agogy noun leading pedagogy, demagogy Stressed suffix 

-al adj aspect of nominal, focal, (compare -ality) Neutral 

-al noun abstract noun refusal, appraisal Neutral 

-ality noun property (aspect, behaviour, condition) of proportionality, sexuality (see -al and -ity) Stressed suffix 

-an adj urban Neutral 

-an adj, noun republican, Roman, veteran Neutral 

-ance noun relevance, annoyance, repentance Neutral 

-ancy noun pregnancy, redundancy, vacancy Neutral 

-ant adj 

relevant, dominant, pleasant Neutral 

-ant noun assitant, immigrant, inhabitant Neutral 

-ar adj linear, alveolar Neutral 

-ar noun beggar, liar Neutral 

-ard noun drunkard, coward, wizard, steward Neutral 

-ary adj ordinary, secondary, military Neutral 

-ary noun dictionary, library, seminary Neutral 

-arch noun ruler, leader monarch, tetrarch Neutral 

-archy noun rule, leadership 

gynarchy, anarchy Neutral 

-ate adj literate, desperate, fortunate Neutral 

-ate noun certificate, advocate Neutral 

-ate verb concentrate, oscillate Neutral 

-athlon noun sporting event pentathlon, decathlon Stressed suffix 

-ation noun state or concept of invitation, pronunciation, starvation Stressed suffix 

-ation noun from verb with -ate, state or concept of concentration, oscillation, narration Stressed suffix 

-ative adj talkative, lucrative, affirmative Neutral 

-atory 

noun laboratory, conversatory 

-bound adv heading in the direction of inbound, outbound, citybound 

-cele, -coele, -coel noun body cavity mucocoel or mucocoele 

-cele noun tumor, hernia hydatidocele 

-centesis noun puncturing amniocentesis, rachicentesis 

-cephalic adj relating to the head anencephaly, macrocephaly 

-chondrion noun small grainlike structure mitochondrion 

-cide noun murder, killing agent suicide, vespacide, regicide, fratricide Neutral 

-city noun practice atrocity 

-cy noun expressing the quality of an adjective diplomacy, literacy, idiocy Neutral 

-cycle noun circle, cycle, unit of radio frequency epicycle, hydrocycle Neutral 

-dom noun state or condition of freedom, boredom, kingdom Neutral 

-ectasia, -ectasis noun stretching out brochiectasis, telangiectasia 

-ectomy noun surgical removal laryngectomy, vasectomy Stressed suffix 

-ed adj bored, tiled Neutral 

-ee noun changes verb to a noun (the object of that verb) employee, referee, payee Stressed suffix 

-eer 

adj engineer, overseer Stressed suffix 

-eme noun linguistic unit lexeme, phoneme, morpheme 

-emia noun blood condition leukemia, anaemia Stressed suffix 

-en adj golden, wooden, written, frozen Neutral 

-en verb lessen, deafen, frighten Neutral 

-enchyma noun cellular tissue mesenchyma, karyenchyma 

-ence noun independence, violence, absence Neutral 

-ency noun frequency, clemency, consistency Neutral 

-ent adj 

different, excellent, independent Neutral 

-ent noun resident, regent, superintendent Neutral 

-eous adj courteous Neutral 

-er noun changes verb to noun (the subject of that verb, see also -or) write, writer Neutral 

-ergy noun work energy, synergy 

-ern adj direction western, northern Neutral 

-ery noun slavery, machinery, nunnery Neutral 

-ese adj, noun nationality, language Chinese, Lebanese, Portuguese Stressed suffix 

-esque adj in the style of Pythonesque, Romanesque, picturesque Stressed suffix 

-ess noun female actress, waitress, stewardess, priestess Neutral 

-esthesis, -esthesia noun sensation, feeling synesthesia, kinesthesis Stressed suffix 

-etic adj energetic, sympathetic, frenetic 

-ette noun small ~ diskette, statuette, usherette Stressed suffix 

-fare noun how things are going / coming along welfare, fanfare, warfare Stressed suffix 

-ful adj full of, having some or much hopeful, useful Neutral 

-gate noun 

a scandal, often political (back-formed from the Watergate scandal) Watergate, nipplegate Neutral 

-gnosis noun knowing prognosis, diagnosis Stressed suffix 

-gon noun angle polygon, pentagon Neutral 

-gry noun adjective form of only 2 or 3 nouns in the English language angry, hungry Neutral 

-hedron noun seat, face icosahedron, tetrahedron Stressed suffix 

-holic adj love, addiction alcoholic, workaholic Stressed suffix 

-hood noun state/condition of, a group sharing characteristics brotherhood, adulthood, falsehood Neutral 

-ia noun 

abnormal state mania, apraxia, dementia, dysarthria Stress on previous syllable 

-iable adj sociable Stress on previous syllable 

-ial adj special, filial, remedial Stress on previous syllable 

-ian adj mammalian Stress on previous syllable 

-ian adj, noun Brazilian, Christian Stress on previous syllable 

-ian noun librarian, barbarian, physician Stress on previous syllable 

-iant adj deviant, defiant Stress on previous syllable 

-iary adj tertiary Stress on previous syllable 

-iate verb asphyxiate, deviate Stress on previous syllable 

-ible adj capable, can do (same as -able) incredible, terrible, visible 

-ibly adv incredibly, responsibly, terribly Stress on previous syllable 

-ic adj (adjective) neurotic, electronic, historic Stress on previous syllable 

-ical adj historical, phonological, economical Stress on previous syllable 

-ics noun the study of Physics,Aerodynamics,Forensics, economics Stress on previous syllable 

-id adj (categorical) property (aspect) of hominid, tepid, candid, fervid (compare -al) 

-iency noun expedieny Stress on previous syllable 

-ient adj salient, sentient, expedient Stress on previous syllable 

-ier noun cashier, financier, gondolier Stress on previous syllable 

?ify, ?fy verb to become, make clarify, specify, basify, vilify Stress on previous syllable 

-ile adj tactile, facile, volatile Neutral 

-illion large numbers million, billion 

-ious adj delicious, ambitious, religious, vivacious Stress on previous syllable 

-ing noun noun from verb, in the process of doing, acting Neutral 

-ing noun bedding, stuffing, roofing Neutral 

-ion noun action, companion 

-ish adj 

adjective from noun; sort of; approximately foolish, selfish, greenish, tallish Stress on previous syllable 

-ish adj, noun nationality, language Spanish, Turkish, English Stress on previous syllable 

-ism noun doctrine, act, practice, condition Protestantism, alcoholism, Buddhism, southernism Neutral 

-ist noun person dentist, socialist, cellist Neutral 

-ista adept fashionista 

-ite noun member of a group socialite, Carmelite Neutral 

-itis noun disease, inflammation hepatitis, gingivitis Stressed suffix 

-itive adj sensitive Neutral 

-itude noun attitude, gratitude, Beatitude Stress on previous syllable 

-ity noun expressing state or condition normality, formality, banality Stress on previous syllable 

-ium noun metallic element (exception: helium) sodium, Calcium Stress on previous syllable 

-ive adj make the noun an adjective defensive, aggressive, passive Neutral 

-ization/-isation noun organization/organisation, categorization/categorisation Neutral 

-ize/-ise verb to cause, to be, to become materialize/materialise, idolize/idolise Neutral 

-izzle used for hip hop slang Americizzle 

-kinesis 

noun movement (ability thereof) telekinesis 

-less adj lack of homeless, useless, careless Neutral 

-let noun diminutive, or denoting a relation to some part of the body ringlet, hamlet, anklet Neutral 

-like adj having the qualities of childlike Neutral 

-ling noun smaller, younger, cuter or weaker version of the noun root OR sharing an identity or quality of the noun root (e.g. as a follower) darling, duckling, earthling, sapling Neutral 

-ly adj -like, having the attributes of stately, monthly Neutral 

-ly adv -like, having the attributes of quickly Neutral 

-man noun person fireman, statesman Neutral 

-mancy noun divination by crystallomancy, bibliomancy, necromancy Neutral 

-mania noun an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action kleptomania, megalomania, mythomania Stressed suffix 

-ment noun abstract noun movement, amazement, government Neutral 

-meter noun measuring device barometer, thermometer 

-metry noun measure symmetry, geometry, isometry 

-mony noun testimony, ceremony Neutral 

-morphism noun 

form isomorphism, homomorphism 

-most adj utmost, innermost Neutral 

-ness noun abstract noun kindness, ruthlessness, darkness Neutral 

-nik noun Slavic origin; corresponds to "-er" otkaznik, beatnik 

-ocracy noun system of government kakistocracy, democracy, androcracy Stressed suffix 

-ogram noun writing, description ideogram Stressed suffix 

-ography noun study of stenography, geography, photography Stressed suffix 

-oid adj resembling solenoid, hominoid 

-oid noun resembling planetoid 

-ologist noun one who studies a scientific subject archaeologist Stressed suffix 

-ology study, science biology, psychology, planetology Stressed suffix 

-ome noun subject of an "-omics" genome 

-omics noun study of rules proteomics, economics Stressed suffix 

-onomy noun knowledge of astronomy Stressed suffix 

-onym noun name, word antonym, consonym, heteronym 

-opsy noun examination autopsy, biopsy 

-or 

noun changes verb to noun (see also -er), person actor, governor Neutral 

-or or -our noun candor, fervour, color 

-ory adj auditory, sensory Neutral 

-ory noun history, repository 

-ose adj full of, like, given to; carbohydrates, protein derivatives verbose; globose 

-osis noun process, action, formation, diseased condition mitosis, osmosis, ostosis, psychosis 

-ous adj adjectival suffix porous, disastrous, nervous Neutral 

-phagy, -phagia noun eating monophagy 

-philia noun 

attraction hemophilia 

-phobia noun fear acrophobia, mysophobia 

-phone noun, adj sound, audio; speaker of a language telephone, homophone; Anglophone Neutral 

-phyte noun plant, used in botany to create terms which categorise plants based on their life-history, growth-form or ecological preferences therophyte, halophyte 

-polis noun referring to city or big area Metropolis, Indianapolis 

-science noun knowing omniscience, prescience, conscience 

-scope noun from Greek skopos, view; instrument for viewing and observing spaces microscope, telescope, kaleidoscope, periscope 

-script noun written 

manuscript, transcript 

-ship noun abstract noun, state of being friendship, relationship, dictatorship Neutral 

-sion noun noun that has been altered from a process decision, illusion Stress on previous syllable 

-some adj tiresome, awesome, fulsome Stress on previous syllable 

-stan noun land, country Afghanistan 

-ster noun person youngster, gangster Neutral 

-t adj burnt, spoilt Neutral 

-th, -eth adj ordinal number tenth, millionth, twentieth 

-th noun forming a noun 

growth, health, depth, strength 

-tion noun noun that has been altered from a process evaporation, introduction Stress on previous syllable 

-tom, -tome noun part or segment dermatome 

-tropism noun to turn phototropism 

-ty noun certainty, loyalty Neutral 

-uary noun sanctuary, mortuary 

-ulent adj turbulent, fraudulent 

-uous adj tempestuous, unctuous, sensuous Neutral 

-ure noun failure, exposure, temperature Neutral 

-us 

noun inflammation ulcus 

-ville noun city, town from French Nashville 

-vore, -vorous noun / adj to devour carnivore, herbivore 

-ward or -wards adj, adv direction southward, inward, upward Neutral 

-ware noun software hardware, software, freeware 

-ways adj sideways, longways Neutral 

-wise adj direction clockwise, lengthwise Neutral 

-wright noun person who makes playwright, wheelwright, shipwright 

-y adj having the quality of, inclined to 

runny, messy, chewy Neutral

The following prefixes may appear as parts of words in the English language. 

Alongside a few "native" English prefixes (such as under- or with-), we find many which acted as prefixes in other languages (mainly Greek, Latin or French) and which English has adopted in already-compounded forms (such as deci- or pyro-). 

A prefix may or may not operate productively: one can readily form new coinages with multi-, but might not meaningfully succeed in doing so with twi-. Most Greco-Latin prefixes serve to form new words (classical compounds) in technical jargon. 

Note that while some of the following morphemes always function as prefixes (co- or syn-, for example, others simple exemplify linguistic roots that generally or commonly occur first in compound words, like sperm- (compare Leptospermum) or even stand alone as definite words in their own right (under-, Anglo-).

Prefix Meaning Examples 

a(n)- not, without atonality, asexuality, amoral, anarchy, anonymous 

ab- away abduction, absolutism, ablution 

acr(o)- high, up, hill Acropolis, acrobatics 

ad- near, at adrenal 

aden(o)- gland adenectomy 

aer(o)- air aeronautics, aerodrome, aeroplane, aerodynamics 

agr(o)- relating to farming agriculture 

alt- high altitude 

alter- another Alter-ego, alternate 

am- love amorous, amateur 

ambi- around, either, encircling ambiguity, ambidexterity, Ambisagrus 

an(a)- out of anachronism 

andr- man androgyny, androcentrism, android, androgen 

anem- wind anemometer 

Anglo- English or British Anglo-Irish relations 

ante- before antebellum, antediluvian 

anthropo- relating to human beings anthropology, anthropocentrism, anthropomorphic 

ant(i)- against antidote, antibody, anticlockwise, antichrist 

archa(e)o- ancient archa(e)ologist, archa(e)ology 

astro- celestial body astrophysics, astrology 

auri- gold auriferous 

aut(o)- self autonomy, autobiography, automobile, autopilot, autopsy, automatic 

bar(o)- heaviness, heavy barometer 

bathy- deep Bathyscaphe, bathysphere 

be- completely, excessively; forms transitive verbs bemuse, bespeak, bewail 

ben- well Benediction, benign 

bi- two bicycle, bijection, bicameralism 

bi(o)- life biology, biography, biopsy 

bibli(o)- relating to books bibliophilia, bibliography 

blast(o)- bud, germination blastocyst 

brady- slow bradycardia 

brom(o)- stench Bromine, bromide 

bronch(o)- relating to breathing bronchitis 

cac(o)- bad cacophony, cacography 

cad/cas- a fall cadence, cascade 

carcin(o)- relating to cancer carcinogenic 

cardi(o)- heart cardiovascular, Cardiac arrest 

cent-, centi- hundred or hundredth centenarian, centimeter, centipede 

cephal(o)- head cephalothorax 

chrys(o)- gold chryselephantine, chrysoberylchrysography 

chrom(ato)- colour chromatic, chromosome 

chron(o)- time 

chronology, chronic, chronicle 

circum- around circumcision, circumlocution, circumference 

co- together cooperative, co-belligerence 

colpo- vagina colpospasm 

con- with, together connotation, Congress, congregation 

contr- against, opposite contradiction, contraception, controversy 

cosm(o)- world cosmology, cosmopolitan, cosmotheism 

counter- against, opposite counterpoint, Counter-Reformation 

crin(o)- cry(shed tears) endocrinology 

cryo- frost, icy cold cryogenics,

cryoelectronics, cryostorage 

crypt(o)- hidden cryptography, cryptozoology 

cupri- copper cupriferous 

cyt(o)- cell (originally hollow receptacle) cytoplasm, cytology 

culp- fault culpable, culprit 

dactyl(o)- finger, digit dactylogram 

de- taking something away, the opposite decentralisation, dehydration, Denazification 

dec(a)-, dek(a)- ten decamerous, December, decimeter, decade 

deci- one tenth deciliter 

dem(o)- people demographics, democracy 

derm(at)- skin dermatology, dermatitis 

di- two, double dichromic 

di- day diurnal 

dia- through diameter, diagnosis, diarrhea 

didact(o)- apt at teaching didactic 

dis- apart, separation, reverse, opposite dissent, discovery, disambiguation 

dok, dox(o)- view, teaching doxology, dogma, orthodox 

dynam(o)- power, force dynamic, dynamite, dynamo 

dys- bad, deformed, abnormal dyspepsia, dystrophy, dysarthria 

e-, ex-, ec- out of eject, exculpate 

eco- house economy, ecology, ecosystem, ecotage 

ecto- outer, external ectomorphic, ectoparasite 

edaph(o)- soil edaphic 

electr(o)- relating to Electricity electrocution, electroencephalogram 

embry(o)- embryo embryogenesis 

en- to make ~ (transitive verb) enrage, enlarge 

end(o)-, ent(o)- inside endoscope, endothermic, entoblast 

enne(a)- nine enneastyle, enneagram 

enter(o)- intestine enteritis 

entomo- insect entomologist, entomophily 

eo- earliest, most primitive eobacterium, eohippus 

ep(i)-, eph- upon, above, around epitaxy, epicenter, ephemeral 

erg(o)- work, labour ergonomics synergy, energy 

erythr(o)- red erythrocite 

erot(o)- love erotic, erotomania 

ethno- race, people ethnology, ethnolinguistics, ethnocentrism 

eu- good eulogy, euthanasia, eugenics, euphemism 

Euro- European Euro-MP, Eurocentric 

ex- former, out of ex-wife, ex-president, exculpate 

exo- outside exoskeleton 

extra- outside, beyond, additional extra-thin, extra-special extraordinary, extraterrestrial, extraordinary 

flor- relating to flowers florist 

fore- before, in advance foreskin, foreshadowing 

gast(e)- stomach gast(e)ropod 

geo- earth geography, geology 

glosso- language glossogeny, glossogony, glossolalia 

gyn- female gynaecology, gynoid 

helio- sun heliocentic, heliotherapy 

hemi- half hemimetabolous, hemisphere 

h(a)emo-/h(a)emato- blood hemophilia, hemophobia,

h(a)ematologist 

hept- seven heptagon, heptachord 

heter(o)- different heterogenous, heterosexual 

hex(a)- six hexapod, hexagonal, hexameter 

hippo- horse hippophile, hippodrome, hippogryph 

hol(o)- whole, entire hologram, holistic, Holocene 

hom(o)- same homogenous, homosexual, homophone 

hydro- water hydrogen, hydry 

hygro- humidity, moisture hygrometer, hygroscopy 

hyper- excessive2, having more than three spatial dimensions (mathematics) hyperactive, hyperthyroidism 

hypno- sleep hypnogenetic, hypnotherapy 

hyp(o)- below2 hypodermic 

in- intensively inflammable, invaluable 

in-1 not infallibility, illiteracy, immoral, irrelevant 

inter- between, mutual intervention, international, internet 

intra- within intramural, intravenous, intraocular 

kilo- thousand kilogram, kilowatt 

kinesi- movement kinesitherapy 

litho- Rock lithosphere 

Luso- Portuguese lusophone 

Mac- or Mc- "son of" (often used in last names) McCarthy, Kirsty MacColl 

macro- large macrobiology, macroscopic 

mal- bad malpractice, malnutrition 

maxi- many ,most maximal, maximum 

Mc- McDonalds-like, often derogatory McJob, McPaper (See McWords) 

mega(l)- million, very large megabyte, megaphone, megalopolis 

meso- middle mesoamerica, mesoscale 

meta- after, beyond metacarpal, metaphysics, metatarsal 

micro- one millionth, very small microgram, microorganism, micronation, microscope 

mid- 

in the middle of mid-term elections, Mid-Autumn Festival 

milli- thousandth milligram, milliliter 

mini- small miniskirt, miniseries 

mis- bad, wrong miscarriage, misanthropy, misogyny, mistake 

mon(o)- one, single monolith, monorail, monotony, monocle 

multi- many multiculturalism, multilingualism 

myco- relating to fungi mycology, mycoprotein 

myri(a)- Ten thousand myriagon, myriad 

necro- death necrobiosis, necrophilia 

nephro- kidney nephrology, nephrotomy 

non- not 

nonsense, non-denial denial 

non- nine nonagon 

O'- (son) of (often used in Irish family-names) O'Brian 

oct(o)-, oct(a)- eight octane, octopod, octagon, October 

omni- all omnidirectional, omnivore, omnipotent 

oo- ("oo-oh") egg, ovum oocyte 

ornitho- bird ornithologist, ornithomancy 

osteo- bone osteoblast, osteosis, osteoporosis 

out- more, to a greater degree outdo, outrun 

over- (noun) more than normal, too much overpopulation, over-consumption, overlord 

over- (verb) to do too much, to (verb) over overlook, overspend, oversee 

pan(to)-1 universal, all-embracing pandect, pantechnicon, Pantocrator, pamphlet 

para- beyond, near, contrary paralegal, parachute 

pent(a)- five pentagon 

peri(o)- around, about, enclosing, near perimysium, pericardium, periosteum, perinatal 

photo- light, photon photograph, photosensetive, photosynthesis 

phyto- relating to plants phytogeography, phytoplankton 

post- after postpartum depression, postmodernism 

pre- before prediction, preview, precedent, prenatal care 

pro- for, in favour of pro-choice, protagonist 

proto- primitive, original protostar, protoplasm 

pseudo- false pseudoscience, pseudonym 

psycho- mind, mental psychology, psychosomatic 

pyro- fire, flame pyromania 

quadr-, quart- four quadrangle, quadruplet, quartic, quartile 

quasi- like, as if quasiparticle 

quinque- five quinquesection, 

quint(i)- fifth, five quintiped, quintet 

re- again, repeatedly reduction, reflection, revolution 

rect(i)- proper, straight rectify, rectangle 

retro- backward retrograde, retrospective 

scler(o)- hard scleroderma, atherosclerosis 

semi- half, partial semi-automatic, semi-detached 

sept(a)- seven September 

sex(i)- six sexivalent 

Sino- Chinese Sino-American relations 

spasm(o)- spasm spasmatic, spasmolysis 

sperm- seed spermophile, spermine 

spher(o)- sphere, ball spherical, atmosphere 

sphygm(o)- pulsation sphygmomanometer,

sphygmograph 

splen(o)- spleen splenomegaly 

splanchn(o)- viscera splanchnopathy 

schiz(o)-, schist(o)- split schizophrenia, schistocyte 

sci- know, knowledge science, omniscient 

seismo- earthquake seismography, seismometer, seismology 

staphyl(o)- cluster, uvula staphylococcus, staphyloplasty 

stom(ato)- mouth stomatitis, stomach 

styl- pillar stylus, stylist, stylopodium 

sub- below, less than, under,2 subset, subsonic, subway, subtitles 

super- extremely, more than,2 superhuman, Superego,

supersonic 

syn- together, united, at the same time synergy, synchronicity, synesthesia 

tach(y)- rapid, accelerated tachycardia, tachymeter, tachyon 

tel(e)- distance, distant telecommunications, television, telephoto lens, telodynamic 

tel(o)- end teloblast, telophase 

theo- god theology, theogony 

trans- across, beyond transfer, transubstantiation, transatlantic, Trans-Siberian railway 

tri- three triangle, tricolor, triptych 

twi- two twilight, twig, twin 

über- / uber- super- / excessive / very uberfic, Übermensch, übercool 

ultra- extremely, beyond certain limit ultramontanism, ultraviolet 

un1- not, opposite, take something away unconstitutional, undelete 

under- below, incompletely underestimate, underage, undercook 

uni- one, single uniform, unification 

up- higher upscale, update, upgrade, upheld 

ur- first, original urtext 

ur(o)- urine uric, urinal 

vita- life vitamin, vital 

with- together, united withhold, withstand 

zoo- ("zoo-oh") relating to animals zoomorphic, zoology,

zoophilia