2. Suffixes

Suffix

Source

Function

Examples

I

II

-dom

OE — dom-"judgement"; Mod. E. -dom

Forms nouns with the meaning:

1) "dignity", "office", "dominion", "realm" or "jurisdiction";

kingdom, dukedom, earldom, martyrdom, squiredom, Christiandom

2) "state", "condition", or "fact of being".

freedom, wisdom, boredom

-hood

OE — had-"slate", "degree"

Noun-forming suffix denoting in general state, condition, quality, character.

manhood, boyhood, childhood, motherhood

-ship

OE — scipe "shape"

Denotes:

1) state, condition or quality;

2) office, dignity or profession.

friendship; clerkship, authorship

Suffix

Meaning or function

Examples

I

II

-en

Means "to make", "to render".

quicken, whiten

-er

Forms:

1) nouns from verbs denoting the agent;

rider, miner, worker, teacher

2) nouns from nouns or adjectives of place, denoting resident of, one living in;

Londoner, islander, New Zealander

-er

3) nouns from nouns, with the sense of "one who has to do with", esp. as a matter of trade, profession, etc.

tinner, cutter, heater, embosser

-ier,

-yer

Noun suffix equivalent to -eer.

gondolier, cashier, grenadier, lawyer

cavalier

-ing

Suffix denoting "belonging to", "of the kind", "descended from".

atheling shilling

-ing

Forms nouns from verbs. It means:

I) "act", "fact", "art of doing";

reading, learning, feeling, teaching, hearing, boating

2) "that which does" or "that which results from", "accompanies".

covering, sweepings, mooring

-ling

Conveys a diminutive or a depreciatory force.

firstling, duckling, seedling, nestling, hireling, underling, princeling

-ness

Forms nouns denoting state, condition, quality or degree.

goodness, carelessness, forgiveness, darkness

witness, wilderness

-ster

Originally denoted the female agent. In Mod. E. the suffix is joined to nouns and, more rarely, to adjectives, the notion of agency tending to be lost, and the suffix often having a depreciatory meaning.

songster, roadster, gangster, oldster, youngster, dabster, rhymester

spinster

-th

Forms nouns of state or quality from adjectives.

breadth, length, width, strength

birth

-ie, -y

Forms diminutives.

birdie, auntie, laddie, lassie, granny, Billy, aunty, Johnny

-y

Noun suffix denoting result of action.

augury, perjury