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ASVAB Practice > Suffixes > Flashcards

Suffixes Flashcards

To help increase vocabulary in preparation for the Word Knowledge portion of the ASVAB test

1
Q

a, ia (usually indicates a noun)

A

state of, condition of, thing that has the quality of

Examples:
insomnia (n): condition of being unable to sleep

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2
Q

able, ible (usually indicates an adjective)

A

capable of, worthy of

Examples:
changeable (adj): able to be changed

combustible (adj): capable of being burned; easily inflamed

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3
Q

age (usually indicates a noun)

A

action or process, amount or rate of, place of

Examples:
brokerage (n): business of negotiating

mileage (n): number of miles

orphanage (n): place where orphans are housed

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4
Q

al, ial (usually indicates an adjective)

A

relating to

Examples:
hormonal (adj): relating to hormones

literal (adj): relating to the usual or exact meaning of words

residential (adj): relating to a residence

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5
Q

an, ian (usually indicates ad adjective or noun)

A

adjective: relating to; noun: one who related to or is skilled at

Examples:
comedian (n): one who is funny

musician (n): one who is skilled in music

reptilian (adj): like a reptile

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6
Q

ance, ence, ancy, ency (usually indicates a noun)

A

state of, action of

Examples:
consistency (n): state of being consistent

furtherance (n): act of furthering something

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7
Q

ard (usually indicates a noun)

A

person who has a particular quality

Examples:
coward (n): one who is afraid, easily cowed

dullard (n): one who is dull

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8
Q

ary (usually indicates an adjective)

A

relating to

Examples:
budgetary (adj): relating to a budget

literary (adj): relating to literature

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9
Q

ate (usually indicates an adjective, noun, or verb)

A

adjective: having the quality of; noun: one who has a quality; verb: to impart or display a quality

Examples:
inviolate (adj): having not been violated

renovate (v): to make something like new again

vertebrate (n): an animal with vertebrae

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10
Q

cide (usually indicates a noun)

A

related to killing

Examples:
homicide (n): act of murder

suicide (n): act of killing oneself

insecticide (n): product that kills insects

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11
Q

cracy (usually indicates a noun)

A

ruling order, system of government

Examples:
plutocracy (n): rule by the wealthy class

theocracy (n): rule of God or gods

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12
Q

crat (usually indicates a noun)

A

person who rules or has authority

Examples:
plutocrat (n): wealthy person of great influence

technocrat (n): skilled person of great influence

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13
Q

cy (usually indicates a noun)

A

state of or quality of

Examples:
bankruptcy (n): state of being without money

dormancy (n): state of being asleep

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14
Q

dom (usually indicates a noun)

A

state of, realm of

Examples:
kingdom (n): realm of a king

wisdom (n): state of being wise

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15
Q

ee (usually indicates a noun)

A

person or thing that receives an action

Examples:
payee (n): one who receives payment

tutee (n): one who receives tutelage (that is, teaching)

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16
Q

er, or (usually indicates a noun)

A

one who does

Examples:
exterminator (n): one who exterminates

robber (n): one who steals or robs

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17
Q

escence (usually indicates a noun)

A

process of becoming or process of taking on a quality

Examples:
obsolescence (n): process of becoming obsolete or out-of-date

luminescence (n): act of emitting light

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18
Q

ese (usually indicates an adjective or noun)

A

adjective: relating to a place or language; noun: the language of a nation

Examples:
Japanese (adj): related to Japan or its language

Japanese (n): the language of Japan

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19
Q

esque (usually indicates an adjective)

A

having or being in the style of, resembling, imitating

Examples:
picturesque (adj): resembling a painting; visually pleasing or striking

statuesque (adj): tall, shapely, and attractive, like a statue

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20
Q

etic (usually indicates an adjective)

A

relating to, tending to, or having the quality of

Examples:
apologetic (adj): relating to apology or tending to apologize

apoplectic (adj): displaying apoplexy (extreme anger)

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21
Q

ette, et, let (usually indicates a noun)

A

diminutive; makes small

Examples:
kitchenette (n): a small kitchen

booklet (n): a small book

22
Q

ful (usually indicates an adjective)

A

having the quality of

Examples:
hopeful (adj): having hope

peaceful (adj): having the quality of peace

23
Q

hood (usually indicates a noun)

A

state or quality of, place or group of people with a specific quality

Examples:
brotherhood (n): state of being brothers, or group of people who call themselves brothers

neighborhood (n): place where neighbors live

24
Q

ial, ian, arian (usually indicates an adjective or noun)

A

relating to or characterized by

Examples:
antiquarian (n): one who studies valuable old things

centenarian (n): one who is a hundred or more years old

ceremonial (adj): relating to ceremony

disciplinarian (n): one who is strict

librarian (n): one who works in a library

vegetarian (n): one who does not eat meat

25
ic, ical (usually indicates an adjective)
relating to, having the quality of Examples: comic (adj): relating to comedy hypocritical (adj): saying one thing and doing another
26
ify (usually indicates a transitive verb)
to make something into something else Examples: deify (v): to make into a god magnify (v): to make larger
27
ish (usually indicates an adjective)
resembling, being related to, having the quality of Examples: youngish (adj): somewhat young fiendish (adj): resembling a fiend or devil outlandish (adj): resembling something strange or unfamiliar
28
ism, asm (usually indicates a noun)
action of; state of being; state of having a quality, doctrine, or religion; bias or hatred Examples: capitalism (n): a belief in private ownership criticism (n): the act of criticizing gigantism (n): state of being abnormally large phantasm (n): product of fantasy sexism (n): bias against a person based on gender
29
ist (usually indicates a noun)
person who does Examples: harpist (n): one who plays the harp linguist (n): one who studies language
30
ite (usually indicates a noun)
person who has a trait, person who adheres to a school of thought Examples: socialite (n): person who is known for socializing
31
itis (usually indicates a noun)
inflammation of, condition resembling a disease Examples: arthritis (n): disease of the joints laryngitis (n): inflammation of the larynx
32
ity (usually indicates a noun)
state of, quality of Examples: density (n): state of being dense; mass based on unit per volume ferocity (n): state of being ferocious
33
ive (usually indicates an adjective or noun)
adjective: having a quality of or tending to; noun: a person or thing with the quality of Examples: creative (adj): tending to create things digestive (n): a substance that aids digestion
34
ize (usually indicates a verb, transitive or intransitive)
cause to become, treat a certain way Examples: eulogize (v): to speak well of terrorize (v): to cause to become terrified
35
less (usually indicates an adjective)
without, lacking Examples: fearless (adj): without fear graceless (adj): lacing grace
36
logy (usually indicates a noun)
the study of Examples: biology (n): study of life geology (n): study of Earth's structure
37
ly (usually indicates an adverb)
(makes a word into an adverb) Examples: frighteningly (adv): in a frightening manner rapidly (adv): in a rapid manner
38
ment (usually indicates a noun)
action of, state of being Examples: contentment (n): state of being content development (n): action of developing something
39
ness (usually indicates a noun)
state of being, condition, or quality Examples: goodness (n): state of being good sweetness (n): quality of being sweet
40
nomy (usually indicates a noun)
rules, system of law or order, field of study Examples: astronomy (n): scientific study of the universe beyond the Earth autonomy (n): independence, self-governance
41
oid (usually indicates an adjective or noun)
adjective: resembling; noun: something that resembles something else Examples: humanoid (n): a being that resembles a human planetoid (n): a small celestial body resembling a planet
42
osis (usually indicates a noun)
act of, or disease of Examples: hypnosis (n): the act of hypnotizing someone psychosis (n): disease of the mind
43
ous, iousn (usually indicates an adjective)
having the quality of Examples: anxious (adj): having anxiety poisonous (adj): having the quality of poison
44
ship (usually indicates a noun)
state of being Examples: hardship (n): difficult circumstances ownership (n): the state of being the owner of something
45
some (usually indicates an adjective)
having the quality of; causing a feeling or condition Examples: fearsome (adj): causing fear quarrelsome (adj): tending to quarrel
46
tion, sion, ion (usually indicates a noun)
act or process; result of a process; state or condition Examples: promotion (n): act of promoting something or someone tension (n): state of being tense
47
tive (usually indicates an adjective)
having a quality or tendency Examples: emotive (adj): having the quality of causing strong emotions talkative (adj): tending to talk
48
tude (usually indicates a noun)
state of being Examples: certitude (n): state of being certain gratitude (n): state of being grateful
49
ular (usually indicates an adjective)
of, relating to, or resembling muscular (adj): having well-developed muscles popular (adj): of or relating to the people
50
ure, eur (usually indicates a noun)
action of, condition of Examples: exposure (n): act of exposing something grandeur (n): condition of being grand
51
ward (usually indicates an adverb)
in the direction of Examples: heavenward (adv): toward heaven eastward (adv): toward the east
52
y (usually indicates an adjective)
having, having a quality of, or resembling Examples: dirty (adj): not clean; relating to dirt grouchy (adj): resembling a grouch

ASVAB Practice (11 decks)

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