SAT CRITICAL READING
PART 5
BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY
Basic Word Parts
Common Suffixes
Suffixes are syllables that are added to a word. Occasionally, they change the meaning of the word; more frequently, they serve to change the grammatical form of the word (noun to adjective, adjective to noun, noun to verb).
Suffix |
Meaning |
Illustration |
able, ible |
capable of (adjective suffix) |
portable able to be carried interminable not able to be limited legible able to be read |
ac, ic |
like, pertaining to |
cardiac pertaining to the heart aquatic pertaining to the water dramatic pertaining to the drama |
acious, icious |
full of (adjective suffix) |
audacious full of daring perspicacious full of mental perception avaricious full of greed |
al |
pertaining to (adjective or noun suffix) |
maniacal insane final pertaining to the end logical pertaining to logic |
ant, ent |
full of (adjective or noun suffix) |
eloquent pertaining to fluid, effective speech suppliant pleader (person full of requests) verdant green |
ary |
like, connected with |
dictionary book connected with words honorary with honor luminary celestial body |
ate |
to make (verb suffix) |
consecrate to make holy enervate to make weary mitigate to make less severe |
ation |
that which is (noun suffix) |
exasperation irritation irritation annoyance |
cy |
state of being (noun suffix) |
democracy government ruled by the people obstinacy stubbornness accuracy correctness |
eer (er, or) |
person who (noun suffix) |
mutineer person who rebels lecher person who lusts censor person who deletes improper remarks |
escent |
becoming (adjective suffix) |
evanescent tending to vanish pubescent arriving at puberty |
fic |
making, doing (adjective suffix) |
terrific arousing great fear soporific causing sleep |
fy |
to make (verb suffix) |
magnify enlarge petrify turn to stone beautify make beautiful |
iferous |
producing, bearing (adjective suffix) |
pestiferous carrying disease vociferous bearing a loud voice |
il, ile |
pertaining to, capable of (adjective suffix) |
puerile pertaining to a boy or child ductile capable of being hammered or drawn civil polite |
ism |
doctrine, belief (noun suffix) |
monotheism belief in one god fanaticism excessive zeal; extreme belief |
ist |
dealer, doer (noun suffix) |
fascist one who believes in a fascist state realist one who is realistic artist one who deals with art |
ity |
state of being (noun suffix) |
annuity yearly grant credulity state of being unduly willing to believe sagacity wisdom |
ive |
like (adjective suffix) |
expensive costly quantitative concerned with quantity effusive gushing |
ize, ise |
make (verb suffix) |
victimize make a victim of rationalize make rational harmonize make harmonious enfranchise make free or set free |
oid |
resembling, like (adjective suffix) |
ovoid like an egg anthropoid resembling man spheroid resembling a sphere |
ose |
full of (adjective suffix) |
verbose full of words lachrymose full of tears |
osis |
condition (noun suffix) |
psychosis diseased mental condition neurosis nervous condition hypnosis condition of induced sleep |
ous |
full of (adjective suffix) |
nauseous full of nausea ludicrous foolish |
tude |
state of (noun suffix) |
fortitude state of strength beatitude state of blessedness certitude state of sureness |