A suffix is an affix which is placed at the end of a compound word modifying the meaning of the word as a whole or indicating grammatical properties such as case, gender, or number.
The most common suffixes are the Latin word endings: -us, -a, and -um, representing gender – masculine, feminine, and neuter.
The table below lists some of the more frequently encountered suffixes along with examples of names featuring them.
See also Eponyms.
Suffix | Language | Meaning | Species | Common name |
---|---|---|---|---|
-aceus -a -um | Latin | indicates resemblance | Acanthurus olivaceus | Orangespot surgeonfish |
-alis | Latin | of or pertaining to | Meiacanthus atrodorsalis | Forktail blenny |
-arius -a -um | Latin | connected to or possessed by | Serranus tabacarius | Tobaccofish |
-aris | Latin | of or pertaining to (after stems ending in l) | Gobiodon acicularis | Needlespine coral goby |
-ascens | Latin | indicates process of becoming | Cypho purpurascens | Oblique-lined dottyback |
-atus -a -um | Latin | like, similar to | Istigobius decoratus | Decorated goby |
-ella | Latin | diminutive suffix | Dascyllus albisella | Hawaiian dascyllus |
-ensis | Latin | of, from (a place) | Pteroidichthys amboinensis | Ambon scorpionfish |
-escens | Latin | becoming, turning to | Zebrasoma flavescens | Yellow tang |
-etta | Italian | diminutive suffix | Koumansetta rainfordi | Old glory |
-eus -a -um | Latin | indicates resemblance in colour or material | Parablennius marmoreus | Seaweed blenny |
-icans | Latin | indicates process of becoming or resembling | Hypoplectrus nigricans | Black hamlet |
-icus | Latin | belonging to | Parupeneus indicus | Indian goatfish |
-ineus -a -um | Latin | indicates material or colour | Antennatus coccineus | Scarlet frogfish |
-inus -a -um | Latin | indicates possession or resemblance | Serranus tigrinus | Harlequin bass |
-iosa | Latin | most, very | Lotilia graciliosa | Whitecap goby |
-issimus -a -um | Latin | superlative suffix, most, very | Centropyge flavissima | Lemonpeel angelfish |
-oides, -oideus -a -um, -odes | Greek | similar to, resembling | Bodianus anthioides | Lyretail hogfish |
-ops, -opsis | Greek | appearance | Centropyge acanthops | Orangeback angelfish |
-osus -a -um | Latin | indicating quantity or size | Synanceia verrucosa | Stonefish |
-otus -a -um | Latin | indicates resemblance or possession | Acreichthys tomentosus | Bristle-tail file-fish |
-utus -a -um | Latin | indicates possession | Lactoria cornuta | Longhorn cowfish |