ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Word parts›Suffixes›-en
SuffixOld English
-en
turns an adjective or noun into a verb meaning to make or become that quality
Old English -nian made changes happen: harden becomes hard, widen grows wide, and strengthen gives something strength.
Words built from it
- harden — to make or become hard
hard + -en (make or become) - widen — to make or become wider
wide + -en (make or become) - deepen — to make or become deeper
deep + -en (make or become) - darken — to make or become dark
dark + -en (make or become) - shorten — to make or become shorter
short + -en (make or become) - strengthen — to make or become stronger
strength + -en (give or gain) - soften — to make or become softer
soft + -en (make or become)
Looks like it, but is not
- listen — from Old English hlysnan 'listen', not the verb-forming -en suffix
- screen — from the noun screen, via Old French escren, not the verb-forming -en suffix
- burden — from Old English byrthen 'load', not the verb-forming -en suffix
Drill this word part in the app
More suffixes
- -al — turns a noun or root into an adjective meaning related to or characterized by it
- -cide — forms words naming an act of killing or the person or substance that kills
- -ful — turns a noun into an adjective meaning full of or strongly marked by it
- -ic — turns a noun into an adjective meaning related to or characterized by it
- -ify — turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning make or cause to become