What does suffix mean?
A suffix is a letter or group of letters attached to the end of a word, usually to create a different word or grammatical form. Common suffixes indicate parts of speech, such as “-ly” for many adverbs and “-tion” for nouns, and they may also carry the meaning of the resulting word. The word is used in language teaching, grammar, etymology, computing, and typography. In computing, a suffix is the final element of a filename and commonly identifies its format, such as “.jpg” for an image or “.pdf” for a document. Although suffix and prefix are often taught together, they differ in position: a suffix comes at the end of a word, while a prefix comes at the beginning. The term also has broader uses for any final component attached to something larger.
A letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to form another word or a particular grammatical form.
"The suffix “-able” is used in words such as “comfortable” and “readable.”"
The term is especially common in grammar and etymology, but it is also used for the final part of a filename.
To add a suffix to the end of a word.
"The editor suffixed each entry with a marker indicating its part of speech."
This use is formal and much less common than the noun sense.
The regular plural is “suffixes,” pronounced with a final /ɪz/ sound because the word ends in /s/.
"The suffixes “-tion” and “-sion” appear in many abstract nouns."
Suffixes quietly change a word’s job: adding “-ly” to “quick” turns an adjective into an adverb, and adding “-ment” to “argue” creates a noun.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suffix come from?
The word “suffix” comes from the Latin “suffixus,” the past participle of “sufficere,” meaning “to set under” or “to attach below.” In English, its meaning developed to refer to a word element added at the end. The same Latin root appears in related words such as “sufficient,” “efficiency,” and “facile,” although those words do not all share the English sense of an ending element.
Related word forms
How suffix is actually used
In general linguistic use, a suffix is attached to the end of a word and has a recognizable grammatical or lexical function. In computing, “file suffix” and “filename extension” are often used interchangeably, although “extension” can also refer more broadly to an additional part of a system or structure.
Easily confused with suffix
A prefix is added to the beginning of a word, while a suffix is added to its end.