LATIN SUFFIXES, alike numerous and important, have in perhaps the
majority of cases taken on a French form. For although, prior to
the Norman Conquest, English had been but slightly influenced from
foreign sources, yet Norman French, the language of the Conquerors,
survived long enough to produce an impression on the language of
England.
=Noun Suffixes.=--The most important of these are:--
=-acy=, =-cy=, rank, office, state: abbacy, bankruptcy, captaincy,
magistracy, papacy, tenancy.
=-ade=, state, place of or for: blockade, collonade, promenade,
serenade.
=-age=, makes an abstract or collective noun, act, state: beverage,
bondage, courage, homage, marriage, tonnage, vintage, cordage,
hermitage, plumage, village.
=-al=, pertaining to, possessing, act of: animal (anima = breath of
life), canal, cardinal, hospital, withdrawal.
=-an=, belonging to: American, artisan, Christian, librarian, pagan,
publican, chaplain, captain.
=-ance=, =-ence=, } form abstract nouns, the act of: abundance,
diligence, =-ancy=, =-ency=, } repentance, consistence, pliancy,
clemency.
=-and=, =-end=, that which is to be: memorand-um, -a, agend-a,
multiplicand; dividend, legend, minuend, subtrahend.
=-ant=, =-ent= (participle), one who (does): assistant, combatant,
lieutenant, litigant, agent, client, patient, regent.
=-ar=, one who (is or does): scholar, vicar.
=-ary=, place for: apiary, granary, library, seminary. It also
designates a trade, profession, business: actuary, commissary,
lapidary, notary, secretary; incendiary, voluptuary.
=-ate=, agent, state, office: advocate, consulate, curate, legate,
postulate, protectorate, pontificate.
=-ce=, =-ice=, form abstract nouns: benefice, device, justice,
palace, service.
=-cle=, =-cel=, diminutive: corpuscle, parcel.
=-ee=, (Fr. form of =-ate=), person to whom: assignee, employee,
grantee, legatee, trustee, vendee.
=-el=, =-le=, form diminutives: chapel, libel, buckle, castle.
=-er=, =-eer=, =-ier=, one who (does): mariner, auctioneer, pioneer,
brigadier.
=-er=, place: larder, saucer.
=-ern=, place: cavern, cistern, tavern.
=-ery=, =-ry=, place: cemetery, foundry, laundry, nunnery, surgery.
=-ery=, =-ry=, condition, quality, collection, production: slavery,
bravery, treachery, finery, peasantry, carpentry, poetry.
=-ess=, feminine agent: empress, governess, sorceress.
=-et=, =-let=, diminutive: coronet, floweret, lancet, puppet, ticket,
bracelet, chaplet, eaglet; etiquette (= a little ticket).
=-icle=, diminutive: article, icicle, particle.
=-ion=, =-sion=, =-tion=, action, process, state, result: action,
legislation, mansion, opinion, position, rebellion.
=-ive=, who or that which (does or is): fugitive, native,
representative.
=-men=, =-me=, =-ment=, denoting result accomplished, instrument,
state; regimen, regime, amendment, document, ornament, banishment.
=-mony=, quality, state, act: acrimony, matrimony, sanctimony,
testimony, ceremony.
=-on=, =-one=, denotes greatness: clarion, flagon, million, trombone.
It appears as _-oon_ in balloon, dragoon, saloon.
=-or=, agent, quality, act: emperor, governor, ardour, behaviour,
savor, clamour.
=-sel=, diminutive: damsel (= little dame), morsel.
=-t=, =-ot=, agent, having passion for: prophet, patriot, zealot.
=-ter=, person who: master, minister.
=-tor=, =-trix=, agent: actor, competitor, pastor, executrix,
testatrix.
=-tude=, condition, quality: altitude, fortitude, servitude,
multitude.
=-ty=, quality, state of: charity, docility, frailty, poverty, vanity.
=-ule=, =-cule=, diminutive: globule, spherule, animalcule, molecule.
=-ure=, =-ture=, act of, thing done: capture, departure,
architecture, manufacture, creature.
=-y=, condition, collection: victory, company, family, society.
=Adjective Suffixes.=--The Latin (and French) suffixes are used
extensively to form adjectives. The following may be noted:--
=-able=, able, capable of: amiable, arable, capable, considerable,
friable (= easily crumbled), lovable, portable.
=-aceous=, containing, like: argillaceous (clayey), crustaceous (with
crust-like shell), farinaceous (_far_, corn), herbaceous.
=-al=, pertaining to: ancestral, bestial, communal, final, legal,
tidal, vernal.
=-an=, pertaining to, belonging to: Arabian, civilian, human,
partisan, sylvan.
=-ant=, =-ent=, (be)-ing, (do)-ing: abundant, cognizant, defiant,
errant, observant, mordant, verdant, adjacent, consistent,
convalescent, crescent, diffident, effervescent.
=-ar=, like, belonging to: angular, circular, lunar, secular.
=-ary=, pertaining to: binary (double), capillary, honorary,
military, sanitary, tributary, visionary.
=-ate=, having the quality expressed by the root: delicate,
deliberate, fortunate, intricate, obdurate.
=-atic=, pertaining to: aquatic, fanatic (_fānum_, temple), lunatic.
=-esque=, like, partaking of: arabesque, burlesque, grotesque,
picturesque.
=-ible=, able: credible, divisible, edible, flexible, frangible,
tangible, visible.
=-ic=, pertaining to, like: domestic, gigantic, hectic, lyric,
metallic, poetic.
=-ical= (-ic + al), pertaining to: angelical, chemical, nautical,
theatrical.
=-id=, quality: acid, candid, limpid, morbid, sordid.
=-il=, pertaining to: civil.
=-ile=, like =-able=, =-ible=: docile, ductile, fragile, mobile,
prehensile, versatile.
=-ile=, like =-il=: hostile, infantile, juvenile, mercantile, senile.
=-ine=, pertaining to, partaking of: adamantine, alkaline, aquiline,
canine, clandestine, divine, feline, saline.
=-ive=, inclined to, tending to: abusive, cohesive, corrective,
determinative, fugitive, plaintive, relative, seductive.
=-ite=, like =-ate=: definite, exquisite, favourite.
=-lent=, full of, having (to excess): corpulent, fraudulent, opulent,
truculent, violent (vi-s = force).
=-ory=, inclined to, pertaining to: amatory, accessory, advisory,
illusory, prohibitory, sensory, valedictory.
=-ose=, containing, abounding in (often to excess): bellicose,
comatose, globose, grandiose, jocose, verbose.
=-ous=, like =-ose=: ambitious, arduous, assiduous, bulbous, furious,
piteous, poisonous, omnivorous, riotous.
=-und=, inclined to, possessing: jocund, moribund, rotund, rubicund.
=Verb Suffixes.=--These are few:--
=-ate=, originally past participle suffix, as _am-āt-us_, loved:
celebrate, donate, eradicate, perforate, vaccinate.
=-fy=, make: beautify, fructify, modify, notify, revivify.
=-ish=, make, do: admonish, cherish, establish, finish, relish.