Commonly used Suffixes

Front

Suffix meaning 'act or process of'

Back

-al (e.g., refusal, recital, rebuttal)

Front

Suffix meaning 'condition of'

Back

-ment (e.g., argument, endorsement, punishment)

Front

Suffix meaning 'place or state of being'

Back

-dom, -ness, -sion, -tion (e.g., freedom, kingdom, sadness, concession, abbreviation)

Front

Suffix meaning 'having the nature of'

Back

-ive (e.g., creative, punitive, divisive, decisive)

Front

Suffix meaning 'doctrine, belief'

Back

-ism (e.g., communism, narcissism, skepticism)

Front

Suffix meaning 'quality of'

Back

-ity (e.g., activity, purity, complexity)

Front

Suffix meaning 'full of'

Back

-ful (e.g., joyful, beautiful, helpful)

Front

Suffix meaning 'characterized by'

Back

-ous (e.g., joyous, curious, famous)

Front

Suffix meaning 'state of being'

Back

-ness (e.g., happiness, sadness, darkness)

Front

Suffix meaning 'one who'

Back

-er (e.g., teacher, runner, player)