Test: The suffix -ous
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poisonous
dangerous
famous
various
tremendous
enormous
jealous
glamorous
courageous
serious
obvious
curious
hideous
spontaneous
About this word list ▼
About this word list ▲
In the English language, a suffix is added to the end of a word to change its meaning. A suffix is the opposite of a prefix (which is added to the beginning of a word).
The suffix -ous comes from Latin and signifies having the quality of or being full of something. When attached to the end of a root word, -ous turns it into a description of a characteristic or state of being. For example, if something is dangerous it is fraught with the quality of danger and if something is glorious it is full of glory or magnificence.
You can work out whether you need to use the -ous suffix by checking if the word you are spelling is an adjective. An adjective is a word that is used to describe someone or something.
This word list was created by Spellzone. View more Spellzone course lists or curriculum word lists.