后缀是一种重要的构词法，通过后缀我们常常可以判断出一个词的词性。下面分四类讲解一些常见的后缀及其含义：

　　一、名词后缀

　　常见的此类后缀及其具体含义如下：

　　1. -ster, -eer , -er(or)意为：参与某种职业或活动的人(the person engaged in an occupation or activity)例词：gamester, gangster, songster, engineer, profiteer,

　　mountaineer, auctioneer, driver, teacher, director, actor, professor

　　2. -let意为：小或者不重要的东西(small，unimportant things)例词：booklet, leaflet, starlet

　　3. -ette意为：1)小的东西(small things)例词：cigarette 2)假的东西(imitation)例词：leatherette 3)女性(female)例词：usherette

　　4. -ess意为：女性(female)例词：actress, poetess, hostess, paintress

　　5. -hood意为：状态，时期(status, etc.)例词：boyhood, childhood, manhood

　　6. -ship意为：身份，状态，技能，资格，品质等(skill, state, condition, status, quality, etc.)例词：leadership, friendship, membership, lectureship, sportsmanship

　　7. -ful意为：量(the amount which noun contains)例词：cupful, handful, mouthful, spoonful

　　8. -tion,-ion意为：1)状态，动作等(state, action, etc.)例词：action, oppression, possession, education, starvation 2)机构等(institution, etc.)例词：organization, foundation

　　9. -ment意为：状态，行为，产物，手段等(state, behavior, etc.)例词：movement, enslavement, pavement

　　10.-al意为：……的动作(action)例词：arrival, refusal, revival, recital, removal

　　11. -age意为：动作，程度，数量等(action, extent, amount, etc.)例词：wastage, coverage, acreage, shrinkage, breakage, hostage

　　12.-ness, -ity(ty)意为：状态，性质，程度等(state, quality, etc.)例词：happiness, selfishness, kindness, rapidity, activity, faculty

　　13. -ism意为：行为，特征，主义，学说等(behavior, doctrine, etc.)例词：organism, idealism, impressionism, absenteeism, racism

　　二、动词后缀

　　常见的此类后缀及其具体含义如下：

　　1.-ify意为：使成为，使……化(to make into, to make or become)例词：beautify, diversify, simplify

　　2.-ize,-en意为：使处于……状态，使……化(to make or become, to make into)例词：modernize, popularize, legalize, hospitalize, symbolize, ripen, widen, threaten

　　3.-ate意为：产生，使成为(to make or become)例词：triangulate, hydrogenate, validate, differentiate

　　三、形容词后缀：

　　常见的此类后缀及其具体含义如下：

　　1.-ful意为：充满……的，有……特性的(full of, having, giving, etc.)例词：pitiful, hopeful, helpful, forgetful, thankful, fearful

　　2. -less意为：没有，无，不(without, not giving)例词：speechless, harmless, hopeless

　　3. -ly意为：有……特性的(having the quality of )例词：beastly, manly, brotherly, friendly

　　4. -like意为：像……的(like)例词：childlike, doglike, homelike

　　5. -y，-ish意为：有……的，像……一般的(somewhat like)例词：meaty, sandy, silky, hairy, leafy, watery, foolish, girlish, blackish

　　6. -some意为：引起……的，有……品质的(causing, having the quality of)例词：troublesome, burdensome, wholesome, tiresome, bothersome

　　7. -able (-ible)意为：能……的，可以……的(able to be, capable)例词：changeable, readable, drinkable, comfortable, expansible, convincible

　　8. -ed意为：有……的(having, etc.)例词：wooded, pointed, moneyed

　　9. -al意为：有……特性的，……的(of nature of, typical of)例词：cultural, personal, regional, musical

　　10. -ary (-ory)意为：属于……的，与……有关的(belonging to, connected with)例词：revolutionary, imaginary, budgetary，contradictory

　　11. -ous意为：具有……的，有……特性的，像……的(full of, having the quality of, like)例词：glorious, erroneous, malicious, gracious

　　12. -ic (-ical)意为：具有……特质的，属于……的(typical of, belonging to)例词：historic, dramatic, heroic, historical, methodical

　　13.-ive意为：有……属性的，有……倾向的(having the quality of, tending to)例词：attractive, talkative, restrictive, defensive, preventive, constructive, sensitive

　　四、副词后缀

　　常见的此类后缀及其具体含义如下：

　　1. -ly意为：以……方式(in a ... manner, etc.)例词：happily, boldly, attentively, strangely

　　2. -ward(s)意为：表示方式或动作的方向(manner and direction of movement)例词：onward(s), backward(s), homeward(s), eastward(s)

　　3. -wise意为：1)按照……方式(in the manner of)例词：crabwise, clockwise 2)就……而言( as far as ... is concerned)例词：weatherwise, luxurywise

　　(文/衡水师范专科学校赵金东；英语辅导报大学二年级版03～04学年第28期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)