Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “suffix” come from?

Suffix comes from Latin suffixum, the past participle of suffigere, formed from sub- and figere meaning to fasten or fix, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeygʰ-.

suffix (English): A morpheme added at the end of a word to modify...

Definitions

  1. A morpheme added at the end of a word to modify...

Ancestry of “suffix”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsuffixusfastened
2LatinsuffigoI fasten or fix onto
3Latinsubunder, beneath; behind; at the feet of
4Proto-Italicsupo—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

Words derived from “suffix”

  • suffixation
  • suffixal
  • suffixless
  • suffixlike
  • suffixion
  • suffixoid
  • suffixhood
  • testaceology
  • suffixive
  • semisuffix
  • suffixable
  • suffixes
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →