Suffix List What can a suffix list offer as far as vocabulary building goes? A whole lot, actually.

First off, by studying the following list, you can learn how suffixes can and do change the meaning of words. In fact, included are the meaning and a common usage or two of English language suffixes below. I recommend you print out the suffix list and spend some time learning them. There aren't that many, however, they are important and you will certainly help your test scores by knowing them.

Suffix able, ible

Meaning

Usage portable - able to be carried legible - able to be read cardiac - pertaining to heart aquatic - pertaining to water audacious - full of daring, avaricious - full of greed maniacal - insane portal - doorway logical - pertaining to logic eloquent - pertaining to fluid, effective speech. verdant - green dictionary - book connected with words honorary - connected with honor consecrate - to make holy mitigate - make less severe irritation - that which is irritated democracy - ruled by people obstinacy - obstinate state, stubbornness mountaineer - person who climbs mountains teacher - one who teaches advisor - person who advises evanescent - tending to vanish

capable of (adjective suffix) like, pertaining to

ac, ic

acious, icious

full of

al

pertaining to

ant, ent

full of

ary

like, connected with to make (verb suffix) that which is (noun suffix) state of being (noun suffix)

ate

ation

cy

eer, er, or

person who (noun suffix)

escent

becoming

(adjective suffix) fic making, doing (adjective suffix) to make (verb suffix) producing, bearing (adjective suffix) pertaining to, capable of (adjective suffix) doctrine, belief (noun suffix) dealer, doer (noun suffix) state of being (noun suffix) like (adjective suffix) to make (verb suffix) resembling, like (adjective suffix) full of (adjective suffix) condition (noun suffix)

pubescent - arriving at puberty fantastic - arousing great wonder terrific - arousing great fear magnify - to enlarge petrify - turn to stone pestiferous - carrying disease vociferous - having a loud voice civil - polite docile - easily taught or led monotheism - belief in one God socialism - kind of governance realist - one who is realistic dentist - deals with teeth sagacity - state of being wise quantitative - concerned with number or volume harmonize - make harmonious revolutionize - make revolutionary ovoid - like an egg anthropoid - resembling a human verbose - full of words psychosis - diseased mental condition hypnosis - induced sleep nauseous - full of nausea ludicrous - foolish fortitude - state of strength certitude - state of certainty

fy

iferous

il, ile

ism

ist

ity

ive

ize, ise

oid

ose

osis

ous

full of (adjective suffix)

tude

state of (noun suffix)

Need prefix suffix help? Want to learn prefix suffix meanings? Or maybe you're looking for roots of words and their meanings? Either way, the table below and the following pages will help you in your quest for information about prefixes and suffixes.

Many pages on the net that deal with prefixes and suffixes are limited to either Greek or Latin. In other words, they focus on just one type. I've decided to include both Latin and Greek here. Moreover, I've provided the prefix suffix as they appear along with a short definition and description of the usages of each. At the bottom of this page there are links to more pages with prefixes and suffixes plus a link to a suffixes page. Prefix ab,abs Meaning Usage from, away from abduct lead away, kidnap, abjure renounce accord agreement, harmony, affliction cause by distress, aggregation collection, annexation addition, appease bring toward peace, arraignment indictment, assumption arrogance, taking for granted, attendance presence, the persons present ambiguous of double meaning, ambivalent having two conflicting emotions anarchy lack of government, amoral without morals antecedent preceding event or word, antediluvian ancient antipathy hatred, antithetical exactly opposite archetype original, archbishop chief bishop bedaub smear over, befuddle confuse thoroughly bicameral composed of two houses, biennial every two years catastrophe disaster, cataract waterfall, catapult hurl circumnavigate sail around, circumspect cautious, circumscribe limit combine merge with, coeditor joint editor, collateral subordinate, connected, conference meeting, corroborate confirm contravene conflict with, controversy dispute debase lower in value, decadence deterioration demigod partly divine being dichotomy into two parts, dilemma choice between two bad alternatives diagonal across a figure, diameter distance across a circle discord lack of harmony, differ disagree

ad, ac, af, ag, an, ap, ar, as, at

to, forward

ambi an, a ante anti arch be bi cata circum com, co, col, con, cor contra, contro de demi di dia dis, dif

both without before against, opposite chief, first over, thoroughly two down around with, together against down, away partly, half two across not, apart

dys ex, e extra, extro

faulty, bad out beyond, outside

dysfunctional not functioning properly exit, exodus, emit give off something extracurricular beyond the curriculum, extraterritorial beyond a nations bounds, extrovert person interested in external objects and actions

Prefix hyper hypo

Meaning

Usage above, excessively beneath, lower hyperbole exaggeration, hyperventilate breath at an excessive rate hypoglycemia low blood sugar inefficient not efficient, inarticulate not clear or distinct, illegible not readable, impeccable not capable of sinning, irrevocable not able to be called back invite call in , illustration something that makes clear, impression effect upon mind or feelings, irradiate shine upon intervene come between, international between nations, interjection a statement thrown in intramural within a school, introvert person who turns within himself macrobiotic tending to prolong life, macrocosm the great world megalomania delusions of grandeur, megaton explosive force of a million tons of TNT metamorphosis change of form microcosm miniature universe, microscopic extremely small. misdemeanor minor crime, mischance unfortunate accident misanthrope person who hates mankind, misogynist woman-hater monarchy government of one ruler, monotheism belief in one god multifarious having many parts, multitudinous numerous neologism newly coined word, neophyte beginner noncommittal undecided obstruct block, occlude close, block out, offend insult, opponent someone who struggles against

in, il, im, ir

not

in, il, im, ir

in, on, upon

inter

between, among

intra, intro macro mega meta micro mis mis mono multi neo non ob, oc, of, op

within large, long great, million involving change small bad, improper hatred one many new not against

olig Prefix Meaning

few Usage

oligarchy government by a few

pan para per peri poly post pre

all, every beyond, related through, completely around, near many after before

panacea cure all, panorama unobstructed view in all directions parallel similar, paraphrase restate, translate permeable allowing passage through, pervade spread throughout perimeter outer boundary, periphery edge polyglot speaking several languages posthumous after death preamble introductory statement, premonition forewarning primordial existing at the dawn of time, primogeniture state of being the first born propulsive driving forward, proponent supporter prototype first of its kind pseudonym pen name reiterate repeat, reimburse pay back retrospect look back in time secede withdraw, seclude shut away semiconscious partly conscious subjugate bring under control, succumb yield, cease to resist, suffuse spread through, suggest hint, suppress put down by force, suspend delay, temporarily cease supernatural above natural things, surtax additional tax synchronize time together, sympathize pity, identify with, syllogism explanation of how ideas relate, system network

prim pro proto pseudo re retro se semi

first forward, in favor of first false again, back backward away, aside half, partly

sub, suc, suf, sug, sup, sus

under, less

super, sur

over, above

syn, sym, syl, sys

with, together

tele trans ultra un under uni vice with

far across beyond, excessive not below one in place of away, against

telegraphic communication over a distance transport carry across ultra conservative exceedingly conservativel unkempt not combed, disheveled underling someone inferior unison oneness of pitch, complete accord viceroy governor acting in place of a king withstand stand up against, resist