Lexical Tools

Derivational Suffix List

I. Suffix list

With derivational suffixes, the new word has a new meaning, and is usually a different part of speech. But the new meaning is related to the old meaning - it is "derived" from the old meaning. There are several hundred derivational suffixes. The following table lists the all derivational suffixes (most common) for Lexical Tools:

Suffix	Category	Senses	Examples	Lexical Tools Rules
able$	adj	capable, able to, can do	`readability\|readable` `wash\|washable, tax\|taxable, fashion\|fasionable` `wash\|washable, tax\|taxable, comfort\|comfortable` `irritate\|irritable` `move\|movable, note\|notable, adore\|adorable, use\|usable, sale\|salable, improve\|improvable`	`ability$\|noun\|base\|able$\|adj\|base` `able$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `able$\|adj\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `able$\|adj\|base\|ate$\|verb\|base` `able$\|adj\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
ably$	adv		`pass\|passably, fashion\|fashionably` `notable\|notably`	`ably$\|adv\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `able$\|verb\|base\|ably$\|adv\|base (tbd)`
ad$	noun	group	triad, monad
ade$	noun		lemonade, accolade, blockade
age$	noun	forming a noun	`assemble\|assemblage, mile\|mileage` `marry\|marriage` `garage`	`age$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
agogy$	noun	leading	pedagogy, demagogy
al$ (see -ality)	adj	aspect of, pertaining to	`function\|functional, accident\|accidental, profession\|professional` `viscera\|visceral, protozoa\|protozoal, vagina\|vaginal` `universe\|universal` `bacterium\|bacterial` `focus\|focal`	`al$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `al$\|adj\|base\|a$\|noun\|base` `al$\|adj\|base\|e$\|noun\|base` `al$\|adj\|base\|um$\|noun\|base`
al$	noun	abstract noun	arrive\|arrival, refuse\|refusal, appraise\|appraisal
ality$	noun	property (aspect, behaviour, condition) of	proportionality, sexuality (see -al and -ity)
an$	adj		`Cambodia\|Cambodian` `urban`	`a$\|noun\|base\|an$\|adj\|base`
an$	noun		`amphibia\|amphibian` `republican, Roman, veteran`	`a$\|noun\|base\|an$\|noun\|base`
ance$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of (see ence$)	`govern\|governance, annoy\|annoyance, repent\|repentance` `defiant\|defiance, conformant\|conformance, relevant\|relevance, relevant\|relevance,` `insure\|insurance`	`ance$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `ance$\|noun\|base\|ant$\|adj\|base` `ance$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
ancy$	noun		pregnancy, redundancy, vacancy
ant$	adj	pertaining to, VERB + ing (see ent$)	`relax\|relaxant` `radiate\|radiant, dominate\|dominant, please\|pleasant` `fumigation\|fumigant`	`ant$\|adj\|base\|$\|verb\|bas` `ant$\|adj\|base\|ate$\|verb\|base` `ant$\|adj\|base\|ation$\|noun\|base`
ant$	noun	one who, that which (see ent$)	`triumph\|triumphant, assist\|assistant, inhabit\|inhabitant` `stimulate\|stimulant, immigrate\|immigrant` `serve\|servant`	`ant$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `ant$\|noun\|base\|ate$\|verb\|base` `ant$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
ar$	adj		`alveola\|alveolar, fibula\|fibular` `insulate\|insular, modulate\|modular` `line\|linear, module\|modular` `alveous\|alveolar`	`a$\|noun\|base\|ar$\|adj\|base` `ar$\|adj\|base\|ate$\|verb\|base` `ar$\|adj\|base\|e$\|noun\|base` `ar$\|adj\|base\|us$\|noun\|base`
ar$	noun		beggar, liar
ard$	noun		drunkard, coward, wizard, steward
ary$	adj	pertaining to, verb + ing (see ory$)	`inflation\|inflationary, second\|secondary, caution\|cautionary` `imagine\|imaginary`	`ary$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base`
ary$	noun	a place where (see ory$)	diction\|dictionary, seminar\|seminary
arch$	noun	ruler, leader	monarch, tetrarch
archy$	noun	rule, leadership	gynarchy, anarchy
arium$	noun	a place where	aquarium
asia$	noun		fantasia\|fantastic	`asia$\|noun\|base\|astic$\|adj\|base`
ate$	adj	pertaining to, VERB + ing	`adequacy\|adequate, celibacy, celibate` `ire\|irate` `ilitera\|literate` `desper\|desperate, fortune\|fortunate`	`acy$\|noun\|base\|ate$\|adj\|base`
ate$	noun	one who, that which	certify\|certificate, advocate\|advocate
ate$	verb	to VERB, to cause to, to make	libera\|liberate, hyphen\|hyphenate, concentration\|concentrate, oscille\|oscillate
athlon$	noun	sporting event	pentathlon, decathlon
ation$	noun	state or concept of	`flirt\|flirtation` `admire\|admiration, starve\|starvation, hesitate\|hesitation, explore\|exploration` `pronounce\|pronunciation`	`ation$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `ation$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
ation$	noun	from verb with -ate, state or concept of	`alienate\|alienation, concentrate\|concentration, oscillate\|oscillation, narrate\|narration, invite\|invitation`	`ate$\|verb\|base\|ation$\|noun\|base`
ative$	noun		`relate\|relative, narrate\|narrative`	`ative$\|noun\|base\|ate$\|verb\|base`
ative$	adj		talkative, lucrative, affirmative
atory$	noun		laboratory, conversatory
bound$	adv	heading in the direction of	inbound, outbound, citybound
cele$, coele$, coel$	noun	body cavity	mucocoel or mucocoele
cele$	noun	tumor, hernia	hydatidocele
centesis$	noun	puncturing	amniocentesis, rachicentesis
cephalic$	adj	relating to the head	anencephaly, macrocephaly
chondrion$	noun	small grainlike structure	mitochondrion
cide$	noun	murder, killing agent	suicide, vespacide, regicide, fratricide
city$	noun	practice	atrocity
cy$	noun	expressing the quality of an adjective	diplomacy, literacy, idiocy
cycle$	noun	circle, cycle, unit of radio frequency	epicycle, hydrocycle
dom$	noun	state or condition of	freedom, boredom, kingdom
ectasia$, ectasis$	noun	stretching out	brochiectasis, telangiectasia
ectomy$	noun	surgical removal	laryngectomy, vasectomy
ed$	adj		`pigment\|pigmented` `bore\|bored, tile\|tiled, glue\|glued`	`ed$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `ed$\|adj\|base\|e$\|noun\|base`
ee$	noun	changes verb to a noun (the object of that verb)	employee, referee, payee
eer$	adj		engineer, overseer
eme$	noun	linguistic unit	lexeme, phoneme, morpheme
emia$	noun	blood condition	leukemia, anaemia
en$	adj		golden, wooden, written, frozen
en$	verb		lessen, deafen, frighten
enchyma$	noun	cellular tissue	mesenchyma, karyenchyma
ence$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of (see ance$)	`deferential\|deference` `corpulence\|corpulent, prominent\|prominence, independent\|independence, violent\|violence, absent\|absence`	`ence$\|noun\|base\|ent$\|adj\|base` `ence$\|noun\|base\|ential$\|adj\|base`
ency$	noun		`fluent\|fluency, cogent\|cogency, clement\|clemency` `absorbent\|absorbency, frequent\|frequency, consistent\|consistency`	`ency$\|noun\|base\|ent$\|adj\|base` `ency$\|noun\|base\|ent$\|noun\|base`
ent$	adj	pertaining to, VERB + ing (see ant$)	differ\|different, excellence\|excellent, independency\|independent, fluency\|fluent
ent$	noun	one who, that which (see ant$)	residence\|resident, regency\|regent, superintend\|superintendent
eous$	adj		courteous
er$	noun	one who (see or$)	`work\|worker, teach\|teacher, employ\|employer` `write\|writer, pursue\|pursuer` work\|worker, write\|writer, teach\|teacher	`er$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `er$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
ergy$	noun	work	energy, synergy
ern$	adj	direction	western, northern
ery$	noun		`slave\|slavery, machine\|machinery` `nun\|nunnery`	`ery$\|noun\|base\|e$\|noun\|base`
esce$	verb	to become, to change	convalescent\|convalesce
ese$	adj, noun	nationality, language	Chinese, Lebanese, Portuguese
esque$	adj	in the style of	Pythonesque, Romanesque, picturesque
ess$	noun	female	god\|goddess, actor\|actress, waiter\|waitress, steward\|stewardess, priest\|priestess
esthesis$, esthesia$	noun	sensation, feeling	synesthesia, kinesthesis
etic$	adj		`hypothesis\|hypothetic` `energetical\|energetic, sympathetical\|sympathetic, frenetic`	`etic$\|adj\|base\|esis$\|noun\|base`
ette$	noun	small ~	diskette, statuette, usherette
fare$	noun	how things are going / coming along	welfare, fanfare, warfare
ful$	adj	full of, having some or much	hand\|handful, sorrow\|sorrowful, forget\|forgetful, hope\|hopeful, use\|useful, help\|helpful
gate$	noun	a scandal, often political (back-formed from the Watergate scandal)	Watergate, nipplegate
gnosis$	noun	knowing	prognosis, diagnosis
gon$	noun	angle	polygon, pentagon
graph$	noun		`photograph\|photography`	`graph$\|noun\|base\|graphy$\|noun\|base`
gram$	noun		`thermographic\|thermogram` `thermograph\|thermogram` `thermography\|thermogram`	`gram$\|noun\|base\|graphic$\|adj\|base` `gram$\|noun\|base\|graph$\|noun\|base` `gram$\|noun\|base\|graphy$\|noun\|base`
gry$	noun	adjective form of only 2 or 3 nouns in the English language	angry, hungry
hedron$	noun	seat, face	icosahedron, tetrahedron
holic$	adj	love, addiction	alcoholic, workaholic
hood$	noun	state/condition of, a group sharing characteristics	child\|childhood, neighbor\|neighborhood, brother\|brotherhood, adult\|adulthood, false\|falsehood
ia$	noun	abnormal state, a medical condition	`insomnic\|insomnia, manic\|mania, apraxic\|apraxia, dementic\|dementia, dysarthric\|dysarthria`	`ia$\|noun\|base\|iac$\|noun\|base`
iable$	adj		sociable
ial$	adj		`colony\|colonial,` `specially\|special` `filiality\|filial, remediality\|remedial`	`ial$\|adj\|base\|y$\|noun\|base`
ian$	adj	From, related to, or like	mammal\|mammalian
ian$	adj, noun	from, related to, or like	`Algeria\|Algerian` `Syria\|Syrian` `Italy\|Italian` `Brazil\|Brazilian,Christ\|Christian`	`ian$\|adj\|base\|ia$\|noun\|base` `ian$\|noun\|base\|ia$\|noun\|base`
ian$	noun	one from, belonging to, relating to, or like	politics\|politician, library\|librarian, physic\|physician, music\|musician
iant$	adj		`deviance\|deviant, defiance\|defiant`	`iance$\|noun\|base\|iant$\|adj\|base`
iary$	adj		tertiary
iasis$	noun		`trombicula\|trombiculiasis`	`a$\|noun\|base\|iasis$\|noun\|base`
iate$	verb		asphyxiate, deviate
ible$	adj	capable, can do (same as -able)	incredible, terrible, visible
ibly$	adv		incredibly, responsibly, terribly
ic$	noun	a thing	`topic` topic
ic$	adj	pertaining to	`amnesia\|amnesic, academia\|academic` `alcohol\|alcoholic` `elasticity\|elastic, electronicity\|electronic, neurotic\|neuroticity, historicity\|historic` `barbarism\|barbaric` `demagogy\|demagogic`	`ia$\|noun\|base\|ic$\|adj\|base` `ic$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `ic$\|adj\|base\|icity$\|noun\|base` `ic$\|adj\|base\|ism$\|noun\|base` `ic$\|adj\|base\|y$\|noun\|base`
ical$	adj		`critic\|critical, economic\|economical, phonologic\|phonological, historic\|historical` `anatomy\|anatomical`	`ical$\|adj\|base\|ic$\|noun\|base` `ical$\|adj\|base\|y$\|noun\|base`
ics$	noun	the study of	Physics,Aerodynamics,Forensics, economics
id$	adj	(categorical) property (aspect) of	hominid, tepid, candid, fervid (compare -al)
iency$	noun		expedieny
ient$	adj		`deficiency\|deficient, saliency\|salient, sentiency\|sentient, expediency\|expedient`	`ient$\|adj\|base\|iency$\|noun\|base`
ier$	noun		cashier, financier, gondolier
ify$, fy$	verb	to become, make	argu\|argufy, clear\|clarify, ispec\|specify, base\|basify, vile\|vilify
ile$	adj	being	senility\|senile, tactility\|tactile, facility\|facile, volatility\|volatile
illion$	noun	large numbers	million, billion
ious$	adj		`mbition\|ambitious, religion\|religious` `glory\|glorious` `deliciousness\|delicious` `vivacity\|vivacious`	`ion$\|noun\|base\|ious$\|adj\|base` `ious$\|adj\|base\|y$\|noun\|base`
ing$	noun	noun from verb, in the process of	doing, acting
ing$	noun		bedding, stuffing, roofing
ion$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of	act\|action, companion
ish$	adj	adjective from noun; similar, sort of; approximately	girl\|girlish, clear\|clearish\|foolish, slef\|selfish, green\|greenish, tall\|tallish, fifty\|fiftyish, ten\|tennish
ish$	adj, noun	nationality, language	Spanish, Turkish, English
ism$	noun	doctrine, act, believe, practice, condition	`capital\|capitalism, Protestant\|Protestantism, alcohol\|alcoholism, southern\|southernism` `Buddhist\|Buddhism, fatalist\|fatalism, communist\|communism` `baptise\|baptism, criticise\|criticism` `anachronistic\|anachronism, atavistic\|atavism`	`ism$\|noun\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `ism$\|noun\|base\|ist$\|noun\|base` `ism$\|noun\|base\|istic$\|adj\|base`
ist$	noun	person, one who,	`art\|artist, social\|socialist, cell\|cellist, violin\|violinist` `race\|racist, dental\|dentist, piano\|pianist`	`ist$\|noun\|base\|$\|noun\|base`
ista$	adept		fashionista
ite$	noun	member of a group	socialite, Carmelite
ite$	adj	pertaining to	finity\|finite
itis$	noun	disease, inflammation	bronchitic\|bronchitis, hepatitic\|hepatitis, gingivitis
itive$	adj		sensitive
itude$	noun		attitude, gratitude, Beatitude
ity$	noun	expressing state or condition, name of a quality	`bnormal\|abnormality, normal\|normality, formal\|formality, banal\|banality` `adverse\|adversity` `frivolous\|frivolity`	`ity$\|noun\|base\|$\|adj\|base` `ity$\|noun\|base\|e$\|adj\|base` `ity$\|noun\|base\|ous$\|adj\|base`
ium$	noun	metallic element (exception: helium)	sodium, Calcium
ive$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of	`mission\|missive, explosion\|explosive` mission\|missive	`ive$\|noun\|base\|ion$\|noun\|base`
ive$	adj	make the noun an adjective	cursiveness\|cursive, defense\|defensive, aggression\|aggressive, passivity\|passive
ization$, isation$	noun		`organize\|organization, categorize\|categorization`	`ization$\|noun\|base\|ize$\|verb\|base`
ize$, ise$	verb	to cause, to be, to become, to make	`vocal\|vocalize, terror\|terrorize, material\|materialize, material\|materialise, idol\|idolize, idol\|idolise` `private\|privatize`	`ize$\|verb\|$\|noun (TBD)`
izzle$	used for hip hop slang		Americizzle
kinesis$	noun	movement (ability thereof)	telekinesis
less$	adj	lack of	seed\|seedless, home\|homeless, use\|useless, care\|careless, clue\|clueless
let$	noun	diminutive, or denoting a relation to some part of the body	ringlet, hamlet, anklet
like$	adj	having the qualities of	childlike
ling$	noun	smaller, younger, cuter or weaker version of the noun root OR sharing an identity or quality of the noun root (e.g. as a follower)	darling, duckling, earthling, sapling
ly$	adj	-like, having the attributes of	brother\|brotherly, state\|stately, month\|monthly
ly$	adv	-like, having the attributes of	`active\|actively, helpful\|helpfully, quick\|quickly, clear\|clearly` `invariable\|invariably`	`ly$\|adv\|base\|$\|adj\|base` `ly$\|adv\|base\|le$\|adj\|base`
man$	noun	person	fireman, statesman
mancy$	noun	divination by	crystallomancy, bibliomancy, necromancy
mania$	noun	an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action	kleptomania, megalomania, mythomania
ment$	noun	a substance, abstract noun	`treat\|treatment, retire\|retirement` `judge\|judgment, move\|movement, amaze\|amazement`	`ment$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base`
meter$	noun	measuring device	`thermometry\|thermometer` `barometer`	`meter$\|noun\|base\|metry$\|noun\|base`
metry$	noun	measure	symmetry, geometry, isometry
mony$	noun		testimony, ceremony
morphism$	noun	form	isomorphism, homomorphism
most$	adj		utmost, innermost
ness$	noun	abstract noun	`one\|oneness, clam\|clamness, sad\|sadness, kind\|kindness, ruthless\|ruthlessness, dark\|darkness`	`ness$\|noun\|base\|$\|adj\|base`
nik$	noun	Slavic origin; corresponds to "-er"	otkaznik, beatnik
ocracy$	noun	system of government	kakistocracy, democracy, androcracy
ogram$	noun	writing, description	ideogram
ography$	noun	study of	stenography, geography, photography
oid$	adj	resembling	android, solenoid, hominoid
oid$	noun	resembling	planetoid
ologist$	noun	one who studies a scientific subject	archaeologist
ology$	study, science		biology, psychology, planetology
oma$	noun	a tumor, a growth	fiber\|fibroma
ome$	noun	subject of an "-omics"	genome
omics$	noun	study of rules	proteomics, economics
onomy$	noun	knowledge of	astronomy
onym$	noun	name, word	antonym, consonym, heteronym
opsy$	noun	examination	autopsy, biopsy
or$	noun	one who, person (see er$)	`act\|actor, govern\|governor, edit\|editor, conduct\|conductor` `sense\|sensor, fact\|factor ?`	`or$\|noun\|base\|$\|verb\|base` `or$\|noun\|base\|e$\|verb\|base`
or$, -our$	noun		candor, fervour, color
ory$	adj	pertaining to, verb + ing (see ary$)	auditor\|auditory, sensor\|sensory
ory$	noun	a place where	dormitory, historic\|history, repositor\|repository
ose$	adj	full of, like, given to; carbohydrates, protein derivatives	verbose; globose
osis$	noun	process, action, formation, diseased condition	`diagnose\|diagnosis, osmose\|osmosis,` `ichthyotic\|ichthyosis, psychotic\|psychosis, mitotic\|mitosis` `ostosis`	`osis$\|noun\|base\|ose$\|verb\|base` `osis$\|noun\|base\|otic$\|adj\|base`
ous$	adj	VERB + ing	`porosity\|porous` `cancer\|cancerous` `analogy\|analogous` `dolorousness\|dolorous, disaster\|disastrous, nerve\|nervous`	`osity$\|noun\|base\|ous$\|adj\|base` `ous$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `ous$\|adj\|base\|y$\|noun\|base`
phagy$, phagia$	noun	eating	monophagy
philia$	noun	attraction	hemophilia
phobia$	noun	fear	acrophobia, mysophobia
phone$	noun, adj	sound, audio; speaker of a language	telephone, homophone; Anglophone
physeal$	adj		`diaphyseal\|diaphysis, physeal\|physis`	`physeal$\|adj\|base\|physis$\|noun\|base`
phyte$	noun	plant, used in botany to create terms which categorise plants based on their life-history, growth-form or ecological preferences	therophyte, halophyte
polis$	noun	referring to city or big area	Metropolis, Indianapolis
s$	noun	a thing, a substance	patho\|pathos
science$	noun	knowing	omniscience, prescience, conscience
scope$	noun	from Greek skopos, view; instrument for viewing and observing spaces	microscope, telescope, kaleidoscope, periscope
script$	noun	written	manuscript, transcript
ship$	noun	abstract noun, state of being	friendship, relationship, dictatorship
sion$	noun	noun that has been altered from a process	`provide\|provision, decide\|decision, persuade\|persuasion, divide\|division` `diffuse\|diffusion, illuse\|illusion` `divert\|diversion` `obsess\|obsession`	`sion$\|noun\|base\|de$\|verb\|base` `sion$\|noun\|base\|se$\|verb\|base` `sion$\|noun\|base\|t$\|verb\|base` `ssion$\|noun\|base\|ss$\|verb\|base`
sis$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of	`aseptic\|asepsis` `gene\|genesis`	`sis$\|noun\|base\|tic$\|adj\|base`
some$	adj		tiresome, awesome, fulsome
stan$	noun	land, country	Afghanistan
ster$	noun	person	youngster, gangster
t$	adj		burnt, spoilt
th$, eth$	adj	ordinal number	tenth, millionth, twentieth
th$	noun	forming a noun	growth, health, depth, strength
tion$	noun	noun that has been altered from a process	evaporation, introduction
tom$, tome$	noun	part or segment	dermatome
tropism$	noun	to turn	phototropism
ty$	noun		certainty, loyalty
uary$	noun		sanctuary, mortuary
ular$	adj		`table\|tabular` `nebula\|nebular`	`ular$\|adj\|base\|le$\|noun\|base` `ular$\|adj\|base\|ula$\|noun\|base`
ulent$	adj		turbulent, fraudulent
um$	noun	a thing, a substance	album
uous$	adj		tempestuous, unctuous, sensuous
ure$	noun	a thing, a substance, one that is related t	fail\|failure, expose\|exposure, natural\|nature, temperature
us$	noun	inflammation	ulcus
ville$	noun	city, town from French	Nashville
vore$, vorous$	noun, adj	to devour	carnivore, herbivore
ward$, wards$	adj, adv	direction	southward, inward, upward
ware$	noun	software	hardware, software, freeware
ways$	adj		sideways, longways
wise$	adj	direction	clockwise, lengthwise
wright$	noun	person who makes	playwright, wheelwright, shipwright
y$	adj	having the quality of, inclined to	`bush\|bushy, mess\|messy, chew\|chewy` `bristle\|bristly` `easily\|easy` `run\|runny`	`y$\|adj\|base\|$\|noun\|base` `y$\|adj\|base\|e$\|noun\|base` `ily$\|adv\|base\|y$\|adj\|base`
y$	noun	an act of, a state of, the result of	`abundance\|abundancy` `biologic\|biology, jealous\|jealousy, victor\|victory`	`y$\|noun\|base\|e$\|noun\|base`
y$	verb		`clarify\|clarification, apply\|application, certify\|certification`	`y$\|verb\|base\|ication$\|noun\|base`