Noun suffixes

NOUN Suffixes
Literal meanings for nouns almost always begin with words such as 'a', 'an', 'the', 'that which', or 'one who'. Different types of noun suffixes have slightly different meanings.
*General noun suffixes just tell you 'this is a noun'.
* Abstract nouns often refer to abstract concepts or entities that are a result of some action.
* Agent nouns refer to the person orentitiy which performs an action.
* Locative nouns refer to places.
* Medical terms often have suffixes that indicate specific medical conditions.
Noun-Forming Suffixes |
Suffix form | SuffixMeanings | Example | Literal meaning |
General |
-ic | 'a thing''a substance''one that is related to''that which pertains to' | topic | 'that which pertains to a place' |
-ment | | segment | 'athing which is cut' |
-s | | pathos | 'the feeling' |
-um | | album | 'a white thing' |
-ure | | nature | 'the properties of something present from birth' |
Abstract |
-ence /-ance | 'anact of''a state of''the process of''the result of'  | prominence | 'the result of jutting forth' |
-ion | | action | 'the result of acting' |
-ive | | missive | 'the result of sending' (or'that which was sent') |
-sis | | genesis | 'the process of birth' ('the beginning') |
-y | | biology | 'the act of studying living things' (or 'the study of life forms') |
-ism | 'the belief''thepractice' | baptism | 'the practice of dipping' |
-ity | [name of a quality] | verity | 'the quality of being true' |
Agent |
-ate | 'one who''that which' | advocate | 'one who speaks toward(for) something' |
-er / -or | | worker | 'one who works' |
-ent / -ant | | servant | 'one who serves' |
-ist | 'one who engages in a belief or practice' | communist | 'one who practicescommunism' |
Location |
-arium | 'a place where' | aquarium | 'a place where water is' |
-ary / -ory | | dormitory | 'a place for sleeping' |
-ia | 'the land''the area' | suburbia | 'the land...