Word formation
Suffixes
Adjective suffixes :
-ful (usually added to nouns. full of, characterized by, able or
tending to.)
Insightful, painful, helpful, thoughtful, successful, careful, colorful,
hopeful, peaceful, useful, wonderful
-less (usually added to nouns. without)
Helpless, thoughtless, meaningless, painless, fearless, hopeless,
sleepless, useless, pointless, powerless
-al (usually added to nouns. of, relating to, or characterized by)
Personal, accidental, biographical, astrological commercial, national,
economical, environmental, global, industrial, logical, musical, original,
political, professional, provisional, regional, sentimental
-ic (usually added to nouns. of, relating to, or resembling)
Optimistic, scientific, artistic, economic, pessimistic, poetic
-y (usually added to verbs. describes something or someone as
having the characteristics of what the noun refers to)
Lucky, cloudy, dirty, dusty, funny, hairy, hungry, rainy, sleepy, sunny,
thirsty
-able (usually added to verbs. describes someone or something that
can have a particular thing done to them)
Considerable, likable, enjoyable, believable, predictable, acceptable
available, comfortable, irritable, knowledgeable, memorable,
profitable, questionable, reasonable, recognizable, understandable,
washable, useable/usable
-ible (usually added to verbs. same as able)
Terrible, accessible, comprehensible, convertible, edible, sensible,
horrible
-ant (usually added to verbs. Causing or performing an action or
existing in a certain condition)
Important, expectant, resistant, observant
-ive (usually added to verbs)
Productive, active, attractive, competitive constructive, creative,
deceptive, decisive, destructive, effective, impressive, impulsive,
perceptive, receptive, supportive
-ish (usually added to another adjective. more or less)
Tallish, straights, youngish, brownish, blondish
Adverb suffix:
-ly (usually added to adjectives. Indicates the manner or nature of
something)
Deliberately, virtually, nationally, productively, actively, willingly
Noun suffixes - abstract/ things
-ity (usually added to adjectives. Referring to the state, quality or
behavior described by the adjectives)
Similarity, personality, ability, productivity, activity, availability,
complexity, creativity, curiosity, density, equality, formality, fraternity,
generosity, humidity, ingenuity, reality, security, stupidity, superiority
-ence (usually added to adjectives. Referring to states, qualities,
attitudes, or behavior)
Coincidence, intelligence, existence, adolescence, confidence,
correspondence, difference, independence, obedience, patience,
presence, residence, violence
-ance (usually added to adjectives. Indicating an action, state or
condition, or quality)
Abundance, (dis)appearance, appliance, assurance, elegance,
extravagance, ignorance, importance, insurance, relevance,
surveillance
-ety (usually added to adjectives)
Anxiety, safety
-ness (usually added to adjectives. Often refers to a state or
quality)
Happiness, awareness, blindness, darkness, eagerness, illness,
loneliness, madness, sadness, selfishness, weakness
-dom (usually added to adjectives. State or condition)
Freedom, boredom, kingdom
-cy (usually added to adjectives. Refers to the state or quality
described by the adjective)
Frequency, accuracy, decency, diplomacy, efficiency, fluency, privacy,
urgency, vacancy
-ment (usually added to verbs. Refers to actions, processes, or
states)
Argument, enjoyment, improvement, (un)employment, amusement,
appointment, arrangement, assessment, attachment,
accomplishment, adjustment, development, embarrassment,
empowerment, enhancement, excitement, government, installment,
recruitment, requirement, retirement
-ion (usually added to verbs. Indicates an action, process, or state)
Description, creation, production, action, adaptation, affection,
education, explanation, expression, hesitation, implication, impression,
invention, investigation, isolation, operation, organization, probation
-ure (usually added to verbs. Indicates act, process or result)
Failure, pleasure, pressure
-ship (usually added to another noun. Indicates state or condition)
Citizenship, censorship, relationship, friendship, membership,
leadership, hardship, ownership
Noun suffixes - people:

-or (usually added to verbs. Refers to people or things which
perform a particular action)
Actor, creator, inventor
-er (usually added to verbs. Refers to a person, animal or thing
that does an action described by the verb)
Astrologer, researcher, believer, producer, player, hunter, gatherer,
publisher, bystander, plumber
-ant (usually added to verbs. The agent that performs an action)
Participant, assistant, attendant, applicant
Mis- (meaning: wrong, incorrect)
Miscast, mishap, misinterpret, misfortune, misbehave, miscalculate,
misconception, misdemeanor, mishear, misinform, misjudge, mislead,
mismanage, misprint, mispronounce, misread, mistimed, mistreat,
mistrust, misunderstand
Over- (meaning: too much)
Overblown, overcritical, overcook, overbook, overbearing, overdo,
overemphasize, overestimate, overflow, overhang, overload,
overpaid, overpopulated, overpriced, overreact, oversleep,
overweight, overwork

-ist (usually added to another noun. Refers to people who have a Non- (meaning: the opposite, not)
particular belief) Non-profit, non-smoking, non-resident, non-stop, non-verbal
Graphologist, psychologist, scientist, artist, optimist, guitarist,
physicist Pre- (meaning: before)
Preconception, precook, pre-school

Post- (meaning: after)

Postgraduate, postmodern, post-war
Prefixes
Re- (meaning: below)
Subconscious, sub-plot, subway, sub-zero, sub-marine
Anti- (meaning: against)
Anticlockwise, antisocial, anti-hero Sub- (meaning: below)
Subconscious, sub-plot, subway, sub-zero, submarine
Co- (meaning: with, together)
Co-star, coproduce, coexist, cooperate, coordination, co-pilot Super- (meaning: more, bigger, better)
Superhero, superhuman, superimpose, supernatural, superpower
Dis- (meaning: the opposite, not)
Disappointing, disjointed, disabled, disability, disappear, disadvantage, Un- (meaning: the opposite, not)
disapprove, discomfort, disconnect, dishonest, disloyal, disobey, Unpredictable, uninspiring, unnatural, unable, uncooked, unacceptable,
disorder, disorganize, disqualify. unbelievable, uncertain, unconscious, unconventional, undo,
unemployed, unfair, unfortunate, unkind, unlock, unpack, unreal,
Ex- (meaning: a position or situation that existed before, not not unreliable
now)
Ex-husband, ex-president Under- (meaning: not enough)
Underrated, undercook, underestimate, underprivileged, undervalued,
Il- (meaning: the opposite, not) underweight
Illegal, illegible, illegitimate, illiterate, illogical.

Im- (meaning: the opposite, not)

Impenetrable, immature, impatient, imperfect, impolite, impossible,
impractical, improbable

In- (meaning: the opposite, not)

Inability, inactive, inadequate, incapable, inconsolable, incorrect,
inefficient, inexperienced, informal, insecure, invisible

Inter- (meaning: between)

International, interact, interactive, interchange, interconnect,
interdependent, interface, intermediary

Ir- (meaning: the opposite, not)

Irrational, irregular, irrelevant, irresistible, irresponsible