Adjective Suffixes

Forming adjectives from other word forms

Noun Adjective Word Form

NOUN WORD FORM ADJECTIVE WORD FORM

Some adjectives are formed from nouns. Others are formed from verbs. Some are formed from words in Latin, Greek or other languages. There is no simple rule for adding suffixes, but there are some common patterns.
NOUN

Adding a suffix onto a noun form is one way of forming an adjective. A suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark the word form. We often use an adjective after a BE verb or a stative verb. .

BE + ADJECTIVE

MODIFIER TO A NOUN

The sky was a spectacle. (a very beautiful thing to see) The sky was filled with colors. The sunset was red. We felt awe. (a feeling of inspiration and respect)

It was spectacular. It was colorful. It looked reddish. It was awesome.

It was a spectacular sky. It was a colorful sky. It was a reddish sky. It was an awesome sight.

Common suffixes noun to adjective word form

SUFFIX NOUN ADJECTIVE NOUN ADJECTIVE NOUN ADJECTIVE NOUN ADJECTIVE NOUN ADJECTIVE

-AL relating to -ARY relating to quality or place -FUL full of -IC having the nature of; caused by -ICAL having the nature of -ISH origin, nature -LESS without -LIKE like -LY like -OUS quality, nature -Y like

accident accidental custom customary beauty beautiful athlete athletic magic magical fool foolish power powerless like lifelike friend friendly poison poisonous rain rainy

brute brutal moment momentary wonder wonderful base basic logic logical child childish friend friendless lady ladylike cost costly danger dangerous fun funny

region regional caution cautionary awe awful history historic history historical self selfish worth worthless war warlike month monthly nerve nervous dirt dirty

universe universal honor honorary skill skillful photograph photographic practice practical sheep sheepish use useless child childlike day daily mystery mysterious mess messy

person personal diet dietary success successful science scientific statistic statistical pink pinkish home homeless bird birdlike order orderly victory victorious dirt dirty

Adjectivalization in linguistics, the forming of words from other categories , nouns and verbs, by suffixation. (CaGEL 1706) Pop-Q "historic / historical"

Adjective Forms 2
Forming adjectives from verb word forms
Forming adjectives from noun word forms
VERB WORD FORM ADJECTIVE WORD FORM

Some adjectives are formed from verbs.

Adding a suffix onto a verb form is another way of forming an adjective. A suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark the word form. We often use an adjective after a BE verb or a stative verb. .
BE + ADJECTIVE MODIFIER TO A NOUN

VERB

They create ideas. She is expecting a baby. They don't permit smoking here. They urge us to come immediately. Today's news interests me.

They are creative. She is an expectant mother. Smoking is permissible. allowed The matter is urgent. The news is interesting. I am interested.

They have creative minds. We congratulated the expectant mother. Smoking is a permissible activity. They called us about an urgent matter. We have interesting news. I am an interested reader.

Part Adj 1 -ed / -ing

Common suffixes verb to adjective word form

SUFFIX VERB ADJECTIVE VERB ADJECTIVE VERB ADJECTIVE VERB ADJECTIVE VERB ADJECTIVE

-ABLE -IBLE -ANT -ENT -ING -ED -EN

able, can do able, can do

agree agreeable access accessible please pleasant excel excellent attract attractive amuse amusing amuse amused freeze frozen

expand expandable force forcible rely reliant dependdependent create creative excite exciting excite excited lighten lightened

laugh laughable sense sensible ignore ignorant confide confident select selective confuse confusing confuse confused darken darkened

pass passable flex flexible resist resistant urge urgent posses possessive relax relaxing relax relaxed widen widened

remark remarkable permit permissible vacate vacant differ different prevent preventive surprise surprising surprise surprised shorten shortened

performing agent performing agent

-IVE causing effect

causing effect receiving effect receiving effect

Adjectives
Similar but Different

VERB AWE DEPEND

SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT PAIRS

NOUN CHILD CONFIDE

SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT PAIRS

It was an awesome movie. having a great quality, inspiring It was an awful movie. having a terrible quality We have two dependent children. needing someone for care We have two dependable children. having a nature of completing promises The laughing child was playing. having a good nature The laughable car was powered with tequila. impossible to be serious about She has light hair. a natural quality She has lightened hair. an unnatural/changed quality He is a loving son. having a quality of giving love He is a lovable son. having a nature of attracting love He is selective a boo ut what he eats. having a quality of being choosy, picky They are selling selected items. particular, carefully chosen Select people can live there. a small number, exclusive, wealthy He is a sensible person. reasonable [sensibilis] He is a sensitive person. easily irritated or hurt [L. sensitivus]

It was childish behavior (behaviour). having immature behavior, negative It was childlike behavior. qualities like a child, positive We are confident about winning. sure [L.confidere] The message is confidential. private [L. confidenti] It is a crisp day, today. cool and dry It is a crispy cracker. thin and crunchy (makes a pleasant sound ) We had a fun time at the movies. amusing We saw a funny movie. causing laughter The general made a tactical advance. military move [L. tacticus] He is a tactful politician. having skills handling situations [L. tactus]
tact (n.) skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations

LAUGH

CRISP

LIGHT

FUN

LOVE

TACT

SELECT

TASTE

Your food is tasty. having a good taste You are a tasteful dresser. having good judgment for fashion He is a worthy competitor. He is a worthless competitor.

SENSE

WORTH

Adjectives -ic and -ical

-IC -ICAL

There is no particular way to know whether a word will use the -ic or the -ical ending. The suffix ic comes from French -ique, or Greek -ikos. and means having the nature of , or causing something.

The -ical form is often added to a word that already has a final -ic. For example,. historic (of history) andhistorical (related to something that is historic). Such adjectives often have a different or an additional meaning from the more basic -ic form.

academic, algebraic, arithmetic, artistic, athletic, catholic, domestic, dramatic, egoistic, emphatic, biological, chemical, critical, cynical, grammatical, fanatical, illogical, logical, mathematical, energetic, fantastic, geometric, strategic, linguistic, majestic, neurotic, pathetic, pedagogic, phonetic, mechanical, medical, musical, pedagogical, physical, radical, surgical tactical, topical public, semantic, syntactic, systematic, tragic He buys classic cars.
traditional, old style artistic comedy of the science of economics

We listen to classical music.

from a cultural (sometimes Greek, Roman, European) source, or 18thC. funny

His comic verse filled books.

His comical verse entertained audiences. His economical car was unsound. This is a/an historical moment.
unable to control your behaviour or emotions cheap

His economic theory was proved unsound.

An electric motor powered the car. a particular machine That was a/an historic moment. recorded in past history The hysteric / hysterical woman was out of control. The little girl played with a magic wand. He was a medic in the military. He wrote in a poetic speech.
intern or doctor of a mysterious source

Electrical equipment makes our work easier.

general, mass

worthy of being recorded in history

The movie was hysterical. very funny, causing uncontrollable laughter It was a magical experience. He did medical research.
mysterious, wonderful, exciting related to medicine having the form of poetry

imaginative, having the quality of poetry, like poetry

He wrote in a poetical manner.

It's not politic to ask such questions

wise

It was a political question.

concerning government and politics