-'s
–'s [OE. -es, AS. -es.] The suffix used to form the possessive singular of nouns; as, boy's; man's.
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Webster's Dictionary 1913
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam Co., 1913.
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-able
–a‐ble (–ȧ‐b'l). [F. -able, L. -abilis.] An adjective suffix now usually in a passive sense; able to be; fit to be; expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense; as, mov...
-ably
–a‐bly(�). A suffix composed of -able and the adverbial suffix -ly; as, favorably.
-ana
–a″na (�). [The neut. pl. ending of Latin adjectives in -anus.] A suffix to names of persons or places, used to denote a collection of notable sayings, literary gossip, anecdote...
-ance
–ance. [F. -ance, fr. L. -antia and also fr. -entia.] A suffix signifying action; also, quality or state; as, assistance, resistance, appearance, elegance. See -ancy.☞ All recen...
-ancy
–an‐cy. [L. -antia.] A suffix expressing more strongly than -ance the idea of quality or state; as, constancy, buoyancy, infancy.
-ant
–ant. [F. -ant, fr. L. -antem or -entem, the pr. p. ending; also sometimes directly from L. -antem.] A suffix sometimes marking the agent for action; as, merchant, covenant, ser...
-arch
–arch (�). [Gr. αρχὄσ chief, commander, ἄρχειν to rule. See Arch, a.] A suffix meaning a ruler, as in monarch (a sole ruler).
-ard
–ard, –art. The termination of many English words; as, coward, reynard, drunkard, mostly from the French, in which language this ending is of German origin, being orig. the same...
-ate
–ate (�). [From the L. suffix -atus, the past participle ending of verbs of the 1st conj.] 1. As an ending of participles or participial adjectives it is equivalent to -ed; as, ...
-ation
–a″tion (�). [L. -ationem. See -tion.] A suffix forming nouns of action, and often equivalent to the verbal substantive in -ing. It sometimes has the further meanings of state, ...
-blast
–blast (�). [Gr. � sprout, shoot.] A suffix or terminal formative, used principally in biological terms, and signifying growth, formation; as, bioblast, epiblast, mesoblast, etc.
-derm
–derm (?). [See Derm, n.] A suffix or terminal formative, much used in anatomical terms, and signifying skin, integument, covering; as, blastoderm, ectoderm, etc.
-dom
–dom (�). A suffix denoting: (a) Jurisdiction or property and jurisdiction, dominion, as in kingdom earldom. (b) State, condition, or quality of being, as in wisdom, freedom. It...
-ed
–ed (?). The termination of the past participle of regular, or weak, verbs; also, of analogous participial adjectives from nouns; as, pigmented; talented.
-ee
–ee (?). [Formed on the F. p. p. ending -é, masc.] A suffix used, chiefly in law terms, in a passive signification, to indicate the direct or indirect object of an action, or th...
-en
–en. 1. A suffix from AS. -an, formerly used to form the plural of many nouns, as in ashen, eyen, oxen, all obs. except oxen. In some cases, such as children and brethren, it ha...
-ence
–ence (?). [F. -ence, L. -entia.] A noun suffix signifying action, state, or quality; also, that which relates to the action or state; as in emergence, diffidence, diligence, in...
-ency
–en‐cy (?). [L. -entia.] A noun suffix having much the same meaning as -ence, but more commonly signifying the quality or state; as, emergency, efficiency. See -ancy.
-ent
–ent (?). [F. -ent, L. -ens, -entis.] An adjective suffix signifying action or being; as, corrodent, excellent, emergent, continent, quiescent. See -ant.
-er
–er (?). 1. [AS. -ere; akin to L. -arius.] The termination of many English words, denoting the agent; — applied either to men or things; as in hater, farmer, heater, grater. At ...
-escent
–es″cent (?). [From the ending -escens, -entis, of the p. pr. of inchoative verbs in Latin.] A suffix signifying beginning, beginning to be; as, adolescent, effervescent, etc.
-esque
–esque (?). [F., fr. It. -isco. Cf. -ish.] A suffix of certain words from the French, Italian, and Spanish. It denotes manner or style; like; as, arabesque, after the manner of ...
-ess
–ess (?). [OF. -esse, LL. -issa, Gr. �.] A suffix used to form feminine nouns; as, actress, deaconess, songstress.
-est
–est (–ĕst). [AS. -ost, -est; akin to G. -est, -ist, Icel. -astr, -str, Goth. -ists, -ōsts, Skr. -ishṭha.] A suffix used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs; as, s...
-et
–et (?). [F. -et, masc., -ette, fem. Cf. -let.] A noun suffix with a diminutive force; as in baronet, pocket, facet, floweret, latchet.
-ferous
–fer‐ous (?). [L. -fer. fr. ferre to bear. See Bear to support.] A suffix signifying bearing, producing, yielding; as, auriferous, yielding gold; chyliferous, producing chyle.