suf|fix

suf|fix «noun. SUHF ihks; verb. suh FIHKS, SUHF ihks», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a) a syllable or syllables put at the end of a word to change its meaning or to make another word, such as -ly in badly, -ness in goodness, -ful in spoonful, and -ment in amazement. b) an inflectional ending, which adapts a word to indicate person, number, or tense, or to show its grammatical relationship to other words, such as -s in believes (third-person singular), -s in cats (plural), or -ed in jumped (past tense).

2. Mathematics. a subindex.

–v.t.

1. to add at the end; put after.

2. to attach as a suffix.

3. to fix or place under; subjoin.

╂[< New Latin suffixum, noun use of Latin, neuter past participle of suffīgere < sub- upon + fīgere fasten]