What Does Suffix Ish Mean?
The suffix – ish is employed to mean of, being or pertaining to; as in Finnish. In this way it is added to represent nationality, language; as in Turkish. It could also be added to mean ‘characteristic of’; as in the term boyish. It could also be used in a negative way to mean possessing the generally undesirable qualities of; as in the word childish. It could also be added to words to mean approximately or somewhat; as in the word bluish. This same suffix could also be used to mean tending toward; that is preoccupied with; as in the term selfish. It could thus be added as a noun or as an adjective. The suffix is Middle English; with its roots in the Old English -isc.
