Deriving Nouns from Verbs: Names for People

written by: Heather Marie Kosur edited by: Tricia Goss updated: 1/17/2012
Derivation is a word formation process that involves the addition of affixes to create new words. This article explains
how to form agent nouns, or names for people, by adding the suffixes -er, -or, and -ar to the base forms of verbs. Also
included is a printable sheet of common English agent nouns.

Verb-Noun Derivation
Derivation is the process whereby the addition of affixes, chiefly prefixes and suffixes in English, to base forms results
in the creation of new words. In English, the affixation of the suffixes -er, -or, and -ar to verbs creates nouns. The -er,
-or, and -ar are referred to as agentive suffixes because their affixation to action verbs produces agent nouns, or
nouns that identify the person or other entity performing the action. In other words, agent nouns are usually names for
people. For example, affixing -er to the base form of the verb learn results in the noun learner, meaning someone
who learns, and affixing -or to the base form of the verb interrogate results in the noun interrogator, meaning
someone who interrogates.

Some Agent Nouns

The following three lists provide examples of some common agent nouns in English organized by -er, -or, and -ar
suffix.
Verb Noun

bake baker

clean cleaner

dance dancer

employ employer

farm farmer

garden gardener

lead leader

listen listener

manage manager

mourn - mourner

observe observer

paint painter

publish publisher

read reader

research researcher

sell seller

teach teacher

travel traveler

use user

write writer

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Verb Noun

act actor

administrate administrator

advise advisor

animate animator

audit auditor

conduct conductor

decorate decorator

direct director

edit editor

educate educator

govern governor

instruct instructor

invent inventor

investigate investigator

negotiate negotiator

operate operator

possess possessor

sail sailor

supervise supervisor

visit visitor
Verb Noun

beg beggar

lie liar

Spelling Rules for Agent Nouns

For verbs spelled with a final consonant preceded by either two vowels or additional consonants or with a vowel
preceded by a consonant, simply add the agent suffix:

act actor

design designer

ski skier

teach teacher
For verbs spelled with a final w, x, or y preceded by a vowel, simply add the agent suffix:

box boxer

brew brewer

play player

survey surveyor
For verbs spelled with a final "silent" e preceded by a consonant, remove the e and then add the agent suffix:

drive driver

love lover

observe observer

supervise supervisor
For verbs spelled with a final y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and then add the agent suffix:

cry crier

fly flier

supply supplier

worry worrier
For two-syllable verbs spelled with a final le, remove the e and then add the agent suffix:

cobble cobbler

handle handler

meddle meddler

tumble tumbler
For two-syllable verbs spelled with a final er, simply add the agent suffix:

discover discoverer

gather gatherer

murder murderer

suffer sufferer

For one-syllable verbs that end in a single vowel followed by a single consonant other than w, x, or y, double the final
consonant and then add the agent suffix:

beg beggar

drum drummer

jog jogger

plan planner
For two-syllable verbs that end in a single vowel followed by a single consonant other than w, x, or y, double the final
consonant and then add the agent suffix:

begin beginner

format formatter
For verbs that end with the letter c, add the letter k after the c and then add the agent suffix:

frolic frolicker

mimic - mimicker

picnic picnicker

traffic trafficker

Suffixes

Suffixes are word endings that add a certain meaning to the word.

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-able

able to be

excitable, portable, preventable

-ac

pertaining to

cardiac, hemophiliac, maniac

-acity (-ocity)

quality of

perspicacity, sagacity, velocity

-ade

act, action or process,

product

blockade, cavalcade, promenade,

-age

action or process

passage, pilgrimage, voyage

-aholic (oholic)

one with an obsession for

workaholic, shopaholic, alcoholic

-al

relating to

bacterial, theatrical, natural

-algia

pain

neuralgia, nostalgia,

-an (-ian)

relating to, belonging to

Italian, urban, African

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-ance

state or quality of

brilliance, defiance, annoyance

-ant

a person who

applicant, immigrant, servant

inclined to, tending to

brilliant, defiant, vigilant

of or relating to, being

lunar, molecular, solar

a person who

beggar, burglar, liar

-ard

a person who does an action

coward, sluggard, wizard

-arian

a person who

disciplinarian, vegetarian, librarian

-ar

-arium (orium) a place for

terrarium, aquarium, solarium

-ary

of or relating to

literary, military, budgetary

-ate

state or quality of (adj.)

affectionate, desolate, obstinate

makes the word a verb

(different pronunciation)

activate, evaporate, medicate

-ation

action or process

creation, narration, emancipation

-ative

tending to (adj.)

creative, preservative, talkative

-cide

act of killing

homicide, suicide, genocide

-cracy

rule, government, power

bureaucracy, aristocracy, theocracy

-crat

someone who has power

aristocrat, bureaucrat, technocrat

-cule

diminutive (making
something small)

molecule, ridicule,

-cy

state, condition or quality

efficiency, privacy, belligerency

-cycle

circle, wheel

bicycle, recycle, tricycle

-dom

condition of, state, realm

boredom, freedom, wisdom

-dox

belief, praise

orthodox, paradox

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-ectomy

surgical removal of

appendectomy, hysterectomy

-ed

past tense

called, hammered, laughed

-ee

receiver, performer

nominee, employee, devotee

-eer

associated with/engaged in

engineer, volunteer

-emia

blood condition

anemia, hypoglycemia, leukemia

-en

makes the word a verb

awaken, fasten, strengthen

-ence

state or condition, action

absence, dependence, negligence

-ency

condition or quality

clemency, dependency, efficiency

-ent

inclined to
performing/causing, or one
who performs/causes

competent, correspondent, absorbent

-er

more

bigger, faster, happier

action or process

flutter, ponder, stutter

a person who does an action

announcer, barber, teacher

-ern

state or quality of

eastern, northern, western

-escence

state or process

adolescence, convalescence

-ese

relating to a place

Chinese, Congolese, Vietnamese

-esque

in the style of

Kafkaesque, grotesque, burlesque

-ess

female

actress, heiress, lioness

-est

most

funniest, hottest, silliest

-etic

relating to (makes the word

an adj.)

athletic, energetic, poetic

-ette

diminutive (makes something

smaller)

cigarette, diskette, kitchenette

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-ful

full of

helpful, thankful, cheerful

-fy

make, cause (makes the word

amplify, falsify, terrify
a verb)

-gam/gamy

marriage, union

monogam, polygamy

-gon/gonic

angle

hexagon, polygonic, pentagon

-hood

state, condition, or quality

childhood, neighborhood, motherhood

-ial

relating to

celestial, editorial, martial

-ian

relating to

Martian, utopian, pediatrician

-iasis

diseased condition

elephantiasis, psoriasis

-iatric

healing practice

pediatric, psychiatric,

-ible

able to be

audible, plausible, legible

-ic/ical

relating to, characterized by

analytic/al, comic/al, organic

-ile

relating to, capable of

agile, docile, volatile

-ily

in what manner

sloppily, steadily, zanily

-ine

relating to

canine, feminine, masculine

-ing

materials

bedding, frosting, roofing

action or process

dancing, seeing, writing

-ion

action or process

celebration, completion, navigation

-ious

having the qualities of, full of

ambitious, cautious, gracious

-ish

relating to, characteristic

apish, brutish, childish

-ism

state or quality

altruism, despotism, heroism

-ist

a person, one who does an

action

artist, linguist, pianist

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-ite

resident of, follower, product

of

suburbanite, luddite, dynamite

-itis

inflammation, preoccupation

appendicitis, tonsillitis, frontrunneritis

-ity

state, condition, or quality

abnormality, civility, necessity

-ive

inclined to; quality of; that

which

attractive, expensive, repulsive

-ization

act or process of making

colonization, fertilization, modernization

-ize

cause, treat, become

antagonize, authorize, popularize

-less

without

fearless, helpless, homeless

-let

version of

booklet, droplet, inlet

-like

resembling, characteristic

childlike, homelike, lifelike

-ling

younger or inferior

duckling, underling

-loger/logist

one who does

astrologer, cardiologist, chronologer

-log

speech

dialog, monolog,

-ly

in what manner

badly, courageously, happily

-ment

action, result

movement, placement, shipment

-ness

state or quality (makes a

noun)

kindness, shyness, weakness

-oid

resembling

humanoid, tabloid, hemorrhoid

-ology

study of, science of

anthropology, archaeology, biology

-oma

tumor, swelling

carcinoma, osteoma, hematoma

-onym

name, word

synonym, antonym, homonym

-opia

eye defect

myopia, nyctalopia, hyperopia

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-opsy

examination

biopsy, autopsy, necropsy

-or

a person who

inventor, legislator, translator

-ory

relating to

armory, dormitory, laboratory

-osis

process, diseased condition

diagnosis, prognosis, neurosis, psychosis

ostomy/otomy

surgical

colostomy, lobotomy, craniotomy

-ous

full of

hazardous, humorous, wondrous

-path

one who engages in

homeopath, naturopath, psychopath

-pathy

feeling, diseased

sympathy, apathy, neuropathy

-phile

one who loves

bibliophile, audiophile, pyrophile

-phobia

abnormal fear of

acrophobia, claustrophobia, xenophobia

-phone

sound

homophone, telephone, microphone

-phyte

plant, to grow

zoophyte, cryptophyte, epiphyte

-plegia

paralysis

paraplegia, quadriplegia, hemiplegia

-plegic

one who is paralyzed

paraplegic, technoplegic, quadriplegic

-pnea

air, spirit

apnea, hyperpnea, orthopnea

-scopy/scope

visual exam

arthroscopy, gastroscopy, microscope

-scribe/script

to write

transcript, describe, manuscript

-sect

to cut

dissect, insect, bisect

-ship

state or condition of, skill of

authorship, citizenship, friendship

-sion

state or quality

confusion, depression, tension

-some

characterized by, group of

cumbersome, quarrelsome, foursome

Suffix

Meanings

Sample Words and Definitions

-sophy/sophic

wisdom, knowledge

philosophy, theosophy, anthroposophic

-th

state or quality

depth, length, strength

-tion

state or quality

attention, caution, fascination

-tome/tomy

to cut

hysterectomy, epitome, tonsillotome

-trophy

nourishment, growth

atrophy, hypertrophy, dystrophy

-tude

state, condition or quality

fortitude, gratitude, magnitude

-ty

state, condition or quality

ability, honesty, loyalty

-ular

relating to or resembling

cellular, circular, muscular

-uous

state or quality of

arduous, tumultuous, virtuous

-ure

action, condition

closure, erasure, failure

-ward

specifies direction

backward, eastward, homeward

-ware

things of the same type or

material

hardware, software, kitchenware

-wise

in what manner of direction

clockwise, lengthwise, otherwise

-y

made up of, characterized

brainy, fruity, gooey

Prefixes
A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. This is a list of
the most common prefixes in English, together with their basic meaning and some examples.
You can find more detail or precision for each prefix in any good dictionary.
A prefix goes at the beginning of a word. A suffix goes at the end of a word.
The origins of words are extremely complicated. You should use this list as a guide only, to help
you understand possible meanings. But be very careful, because often what appears to be a prefix
is not a prefix at all. Note also that this list does not include elements like "auto-" or " bio-",
because these are "combining forms", not prefixes.

Prefix
a-

also ana-

a-

Meaning

Examples

not, without

atheist, anaemic

to, towards

aside, aback

in the process of, in a

particular state

a-hunting, aglow

of

anew

completely

abashed

ab-

also abs-

away, from

abdicate, abstract

ad-

also a-, ac-,

af-, ag- al-,
an-, ap-, atas-, at-

movement to, change

into, addition or
increase

advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend,

affiliate, affirm, aggravate, alleviate,
annotate, apprehend, arrive, assemble,
attend

before, preceding

antecedent, ante-room

opposing, against, the

opposite

anti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax,

Antarctic

all over, all around

bespatter, beset

completely

bewitch, bemuse

having, covered with

bejewelled

affect with (added to

nouns)

befog

cause to be (added to
adjectives)

becalm

with, jointly,
completely

combat, codriver, collude, confide, corrode

contra-

against, opposite

contraceptive

counter-

opposition, opposite
direction

counter-attack, counteract

de-

down, away

descend, despair, depend, deduct

anteanti-

also antbe-

com-

also co-, col-,

con-, cor-

completely

denude, denigrate

removal, reversal

de-ice, decamp

dia-

also di-

through, across

diagonal

dis-

also di-

negation, removal,
expulsion

disadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar

en-

also em-

put into or on

engulf, enmesh

bring into the

condition of

enlighten, embitter

intensification

entangle, enrage

out

exit, exclude, expand

upward

exalt, extol

completely

excruciate, exasperate

previous

ex-wife

extra-

outside, beyond

extracurricular

hemi-

half

hemisphere

hyper-

beyond, more than,

more than normal

hypersonic, hyperactive

hypo-

under

hypodermic, hypothermia

also il-, im-

not, without

infertile, inappropriate, impossible

also il-, im-,

ir-

in, into, towards,

inside

influence, influx, imbibe

infra-

below

infrared, infrastructure

inter-

between, among

interact, interchange

intra-

inside, within

intramural, intravenous

non-

absence, negation

non-smoker, non-alcoholic

ex-

in-

also e-, ef-

ob-

also oc-, of-,

op-

blocking, against,
concealing

obstruct, occult, offend, oppose

surpassing, exceeding

outperform

external, away from

outbuilding, outboard

excessively,
completely

overconfident, overburdened, overjoyed

upper, outer, over,

above

overcoat, overcast

peri-

round, about

perimeter

post-

after in time or order

postpone

pre-

before in time, place,

order or importance

pre-adolescent, prelude, precondition

pro-

favouring, in support
of

pro-African

acting for

proconsul

motion forwards or
away

propulsion

before in time, place

or order

prologue

re-

again

repaint, reappraise, reawake

semi-

half, partly

semicircle, semi-conscious

at a lower position

submarine, subsoil

lower in rank

sub-lieutenant

nearly, approximately

sub-tropical

in union, acting
together

synchronize, symmetry

across, beyond

transnational, transatlantic

out-

over-

sub-

syn-

also suc-, suf-,

sug-, sup-,
sur-, sus-

also symtrans-

ultra-

un-

under-

into a different state

translate

beyond

ultraviolet, ultrasonic

extreme

ultramicroscopic

not

unacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned

reversal or
cancellation of action
or state

unplug, unmask

beneath, below

underarm, undercarriage

lower in rank

undersecretary

not enough

underdeveloped