WORD FORMATION: SUFFIXES

Some words are formed by adding a SUFFIX at the end.

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SUFFIXES
 

SUFFIX	MEANING	EXAMPLE
DOM	state or condition	freedom, kingdom
ER	who performs an action	employer, worker (-OR) actor, sailor,
EE	person to whom something is done	employee, trainee
EN	to form verbs from the root word	shorten, blacken
ESS	female	actress, waitress
FUL	with the quality of,	useful, hopeful
HOOD	to from abstract nouns from nouns	childhood, manhood
ISH	like something, rather - quite	foolish, babyish - tallish, redish
LESS	without	sugarless, homeless
LY	to form adverbs of manner	happily, legally
MATE	do the same activity, share	classmate, flatmate
NESS	to form abstract nouns from adjectives	happiness, sadness
Y	adjective from the root word	hairy, windy
SHIP	abstract noun from noun	friendship
WARD(S), WISE	direction, way	eastwards, clockwise

WORD FORMATION: PREFIXES

Some words are formed by adding a PREFIX at the beginning of an existing word.

These are the most important prefixes in English:   

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PREFIXES

 

PREFIX	MEANING	EXAMPLE
DIS	opposite action	disagree, disconnect
FORE	the front, before	forehead, forecast
FULL	whole, greatest degree	full-time, full- volume
HAND	by a person, with your hands	handbrake, hand-made
ILL	done badly,	ill-paid, ill-equipped
MIS	something done wrongly	misinform, misunderstand
OVER	too much	overweight, overpaid
SELF	by oneself,	self-service, selfish
UN	the opposite, not true	unlock, unable
UNDER	not enough, below	underweight, underground