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Word building
The charts on this page show how you can
take one word and build a new one from it by
adding a group of letters called a prefix or
a suffix. Prefixes, such as dis-,un-, or mis-,
are joined to the front of a word. They are
often used to change a word to its opposite.
For example, adding the prefix in- turns
visible into invisible. Suffixes, such as
-ful,-ism, or -ment, are joined to the end of
a word. They are often used to change a word
from one part of speech to another. For
example, adding the suffix -er turns the verb
teach into the noun teacher. These charts
show some common prefixes and suffixes.Suffixes
Suffixes that make nouns Suffixes that make adjectives
Suffix Meaning Example Suffix Meaning Example
-age a result wreckage -able able to be inflatable
-ance an action or state importance -en made of woolen
-ant a person assistant -ful full of beautiful
-ee a person referee -ible ability flexible
-ence an action or state difference -ish a little greenish
-er/-or a person teacher -less without careless
-ery a type or place of work bakery -like similar to, like lifelike
-ess makes a feminine form waitress -ous full of joyous
-ful as much as will fill spoonful -some a tendency to quarrelsome
-ing an action or result painting
-ion a process, state, or result decoration Suffixes that make adverbs
-ism a belief or condition Judaism
-ist a person florist -ly in a manner quickly
-ment an action or state measurement -ward shows direction forward
-ness a quality or state happiness -ways shows direction sidewaysPrefixes
Prefix Meaning Example Prefix Meaning Example
anti- against antiseptic non- makes the opposite nonfiction
dis- makes the opposite disagree post- after postwar
ex- out of, or from export pre- before prehistoric
ex- former exwife re- again replace
in- makes the opposite independent sub- under submarine
inter- between international super- above, or more than superhuman
mis- makes the opposite misfortune trans- across transplant
multi- many multicolored un- makes the opposite unpleasant