What does suffixation mean?
Suffixation is the linguistic process of adding a suffix, such as “-ness,” “-ful,” or “-able,” to the end of a word, root, or other form. The added element can change a word’s grammatical category, meaning, or function: for example, “comfort” becomes the adjective “comfortable” through suffixation. Suffixation is one of the main mechanisms of word formation and is especially productive because certain suffixes can be attached to many different bases. Unlike inflection, which creates grammatical forms such as plural nouns or past-tense verbs, suffixation usually creates a new lexical or grammatical form with an identifiable meaning. The term is most often encountered in linguistics, grammar, and language teaching.
nounThe process of forming a word or grammatical form by adding a suffix to a base word or root. It is a type of morphological derivation.
- The process of adding a suffix to a word, root, or other form to create a new word or grammatical form.
"The suffixation of “-able” to “comfort” produces the adjective “comfortable.”"
"The suffixation of the root “port” with “-able” yields “portable.”"
"Linguists study suffixation as one of the principal ways languages build longer words."
The plural is used when referring to multiple examples or instances of the process.
"The researcher compared different suffixations of the same root."
Suffixation quietly changes a word’s grammar while extending its meaning: add “-ly” and an adjective may become an adverb.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suffixation come from?
The word is formed from “suffix” plus the abstract noun-forming ending “-ation.” “Suffix” comes from Latin suffixus, the past participle of suffixere, meaning “to fix or fasten beneath or after,” from sub- and fixus, “fixed.” The process called suffixation therefore literally involves adding a word element that is fixed or placed after another form.
Related word forms
How suffixation is actually used
This is a formal term used mainly in linguistics, grammar, and education. It is more specific than the general term “word formation” and usually refers to addition at the end of a word.