Which term refers specifically to a morpheme attached to the end of a word?

• A. Prefix
• B. Suffix
• C. Infix
• D. Circumfix

Answer: (B)

A suffix is a morpheme attached to the end of a word. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning, and affixes modify a word’s meaning or its grammatical function. When the attachment sits at the end, it’s a suffix, as in talk becoming talked with the suffix -ed, or happy becoming happiness with the suffix -ness. Prefixes attach at the beginning (like un- in unhappy), infixes insert inside the word (less common in English), and circumfixes wrap around both ends of a word (found in some other languages). So the term specifically for a morpheme at the end is suffix.