Suffixes of Quality

Suffixes of Quality Suffixes of Quality Suffixes of Quality By Mark Nichol This post lists suffixess of nouns featuring a particular suffix are provided after the suffix. Suffixes attached to words to refer to a quality of being or a state or condition include the following: -acity: perspicacity, capacity -an: partisan, urban -ance: attendance, balance -ate: apostate, reprobate -cracy: democracy, theocracy -cy: residency, privacy -dom: kingdom, wisdom -ence: sentience, abscence -ern: western, cavern -ery: bravery, effrontery -escence: effervescence, adolescence -ese: legalese, Chinese -esque: burlesque, grotesque -ete: aesthete, athlete -ette: kitchenette, cigarette -ful: handful, earful -gamy: monogamy, polygamy -gon: pentagon, polygon -hood: brotherhood, neighborhood -ia: absentia, dementia -ial: editorial, colonial -ian: pediatrician, patrician -ine: canine, feline -ity: gravity, hilarity -ization: organization, fertilization -less: fearless, homeless -let: inlet, booklet -ling: underling, stripling -ness: kindness, darkness -ocity: velocity, ferocity -oid: spheroid, humanoid -phile: audiophile, bibliophile -ship: fellowship, governership -sion: discussion, dimension -th: length, strength -tion: station, attrition -tude: attitude, fortitude -ty: frailty, liberty -ure: failure, closure Words pertaining to medical or psychological conditions, or analogous states, often have one of the following suffixes: -algia: neuralgia, nostalgia -emia: anemia, hypogyclemia -iasis: psoriasis, elephantiasis -itis: appendicitis, tonsillitis -oma: carcinoma, hematoma -opia: myopia, hyperopia -osis: neurosis, psychosis -path: homeopath, sociopath -plegia: paraplegia, quadriplegia -pnea: apnea, orthopnea -trophy: atrophy, dystrophy Words denote a place where something specific occurs, or an entity with a certain responsibility, are augmented by the following suffixes: -ary: aviary, military -ium: auditorium, stadium -ory: laboratory, observatory Many words for types of ingredients or materials end with the following suffixes: -ing: clothing, writing -ings: seasonings, leavings An action or a process or procedure, or a belief, is expressed in words with these suffixes: -ade: blockade, promenade -age: storage, patronage -ism: racism, sexism -ment: measurement, movement -oscopy: arthroscopy, colonoscopy -ure: pedicure, closure Many words describing a person with a particular skill or vocation or who engages in a specific activity, or a person who or a thing that has a certain quality or purpose, end with this suffix: -ac: maniac, hemophiliac -ant: servant, applicant -ar: burglar, liar -ard: laggard, wizard -arian: disciplinarian -art: braggart, boggart -ative: preservative, derivative -crat: bureaucrat, aristocrat -eer: engineer, volunteer -ent: president, absorbent -er:hanger, teacher -ess: waitress, heiress -ian: guardian, Italian -ic: workaholic, alcoholic -ist: therapist, dentist -ite: parasite, dynamite -or: doctor, translator Note that -ess, which generally signifies a female practitioner (other examples are adventuress and poetess), is widely considered dated because it denotes an unnecessary distinction between genders. A female author, for example, is simply described as an author, not an authoress, and if her gender is pertinent, it may be referred to otherwise in written content. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.8 Types of Parenthetical PhrasesInspiring vs. Inspirational