Expand Your Lexicon; Add to Your Repertoire of Suffixes

1. -ify: To turn something into something else, for example, magnify: to make something bigger.
2. -ize: To create something or take action on something, for example, energize: to put energy into something.
3. -esque: To indicate a likeness,for example, grotesqe: resembling a grotesque object or thing.
4. -ment: To refer to the act of doing something,for example, implement: to put something into action or effect.
5. -ooga: To refer to a sound or noise,for example, boooga: the sound of a mysterious loud clap.
6. -ous: To refer to something that is filled with or characterized by something, for example, bounteous: something that is abundant or overflowing.
7. -ward: To refer to a direction or movement,for example, skyward: the direction of the sky.
8. -aide: To refer to a helper,for example, fashion-aide: someone who helps someone in the fashion industry. Learning new words can be, to many people, a difficult and daunting task. However, learning new vocabulary does not have to be endlessly challenging! One great way to expand your vocabulary is by recognizing and understanding the many suffixes that can help you understand words’ meanings.

Suffixes are letter or group of letters that are added onto the end of a word. They are used to change either the meaning or form of a word to express a different ‘type’ of word. Knowing the various suffixes can help you make educated guesses when you encounter an unfamiliar word. Let’s look at a few examples.

The suffix -ful means ‘full of’. An example of this being used is the word ‘helpful’ which means ‘full of help’. Similarly, the suffix -ness means ‘state of’ and an example is ‘tiredness’ which means ‘state of tiredness’. The suffix -able indicates ‘able to be’, as seen in the word ‘readable’, which indicates something ‘able to be read’.

There are many other suffixes that you can use to improve your English vocabulary. For example, the suffix -ment means ‘the act of’ or ‘the state of’, as seen in the word ‘enjoyment’ which means ‘the act of enjoying’. The suffix -ly is used to create an adverb, such as in the word ‘exceedingly’ which means ‘in an exceedingly manner’. While many suffixes can be used to create new words, the suffix -tion is generally used to create a noun, such as in the word ‘selection’ which means ‘the act of selecting’.

Learning and using suffixes can be a great way to increase your English vocabulary. By understanding the various suffixes and their meanings, you can make educated guesses when you come across unfamiliar words. Don’t be afraid to try and use new words and see where it takes you. Good luck!

Having a broad knowledge of morphemes and affixes, such as suffixes, can truly add even more depths to your communications. With a heightened awareness of how suffixes can be used to convey meaning, you can now start adding to your repertoire and begin exploring what wonders this incredible part of the English language has to offer!