This collection presents 13 Suffixes that start with F, spanning from “-factory” to “-fy”. These endings often form adjectives, verbs, or nouns and help you expand vocabulary for writing and editing.
Suffixes that start with F are word endings that attach to roots to create new meanings or grammatical forms. For example, the verb-forming “-fy” (as in “beautify”) comes from Latin and remains very productive in English.
Below you’ll find the table with Origin, Meaning, and Example words.
Origin: Shows the language or historical period where the suffix came from, so you can judge its usage and formality.
Meaning: Gives a short, plain explanation of the suffix’s function so you can pick the right ending for a word.
Example words: Lists two to four common words that use the suffix, helping you spot real usage.
Suffixes that start with F
| Suffix | Origin | Meaning | Example words | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| –ful | Old English | full of; characterized by | joyful, careful, hopeful, spiteful | Very productive adjective-forming suffix attaching to nouns to mean “full of.” Common in everyday and literary English; often lexicalized. (OED, Merriam-Webster) |
| –fy | Latin via Old French | make; cause to be | simplify, beautify, liquefy, electrify | Highly productive verb-forming suffix from Latin facere; common in formal, technical, and everyday coinages. Productive. |
| –fied | Latin via Old French | made into; having been made | qualified, petrified, simplified, electrified | Adjectival / past-participle suffix derived from -fy; frequent in verbs and participial adjectives. Productive. |
| –fold | Old English | in so many parts/times; multiplied by | twofold, manifold, tenfold | Fossilized but still used productively in numerals and compounds; neutral/formal register. |
| –form | Latin | having the shape or form of | uniform, cruciform, biform, multiform | Common combining form for adjectives and nouns; formal and fairly productive for coinages. |
| –free | English (from free) | without; lacking | sugar-free, debt-free, care-free, gluten-free | Productive combining element forming adjectives; hyphenation varies; used in both informal and commercial registers. |
| –folk | Old English | people associated with X | menfolk, townfolk, countryfolk | Originally a free noun, attested as a bound second element in compounds; limited productivity, often dialectal or literary. |
| –fic | Latin | making; causing; producing | horrific, prolific, soporific | Bound combining form from Latin facere; common in learned adjectives and loanwords; limited modern productivity. |
| –ficient | Latin | making; able to produce/perform | efficient, sufficient, proficient, deficient | Classical combining form in adjectives (from facere); common in abstract/technical vocabulary; limited productivity. |
| –fer | Latin | bearing; carrying | aquifer, conifer, odoriferous | Technical combining form in scientific and learned terms; semi-productive and classical in origin. |
| –fast | Old English | fixed firmly; holding fast | steadfast, headfast, holdfast | Fossilized in compounds and adjectives; archaic or dialectal in some uses; not widely productive. |
| –fully | Old English / composite | in a … manner; completely | carefully, beautifully, skillfully | Composite suffix (-ful + -ly); extremely productive for adverbs; orthographic doubling of “l” is standard. |
| –factory | Latin | relating to making or to a function (sense) | olfactory, manufactory | Derived from Latin facere; appears in learned nouns/adjectives (rare/technical); limited productivity in modern English. |