suffix · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
s
/s/
UK:ĭz
UK:/ɪz/
US:ĭz
US:əz
US:/ɪz/
US:/əz/
Australian:əz
Australian:/əz/
zelsewhere
/z/elsewhere
homophone: -s
1
suffix
Meaning 1
A possessive marker, indicating that an object belongs to the noun or noun phrase bearing the marker.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
Jane's house is bigger than Sarah's.
The cat bit the dog's tail. (the dog + 's)
The cat bit the dog with the shaggy fur's tail. (the dog with the shaggy fur + 's)
women's contributions to science
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
suffix
Meaning 2
In the absence of a specified object, used to indicate “the house/place/establishment of”.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
We'll arrive at Jose and María's in time for dinner.
I'm going to the butcher's for a steak.
I bought it at Tesco's. (see s-form)
greengrocer's
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
suffix
Meaning 3
Indicates a purpose or a user.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
You need a driver's license.
Alex can be a girl's name.
That's a girl's toy. (A toy intended for use by girls.) — Homographic to: That's a girl's toy. (The toy of a specific girl.)
people's
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
suffix
Meaning 4
Used to indicate a quantity of something, especially of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
I took three weeks' holiday.
The rocks lay at about a mile's distance from the shore.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
suffix
Meaning 5
Used to indicate various other kinds of relationship, such as source or origin, object of an action, subject depicted, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
She got angry at my niece's trying to lie to us.
the doctor's help (help provided by the doctor)
the King's capture (event of the King being captured)
my father's portrait (portrait depicting my father)
in Dublin's fair city (in the fair city of Dublin)
JFK Airport is among America's busiest.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
suffix
Meaning 6
Attached to a noun or noun phrase linked to a genitive of, forming a double genitive (Compare of mine, etc.)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme
Examples
a friend of Sarah's
Have you heard this new idea of our boss's?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
suffix
Meaning 7
Used to form the plurals of numerals, letters, some abbreviations and some nouns, usually because the omission of an apostrophe would make the meaning unclear or ambiguous.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme, proscribed, sometimes
Examples
There are four 3’s in my phone number.
“Banana” has three a’s and one b. (apostrophe "s" used so that the plural of “a” is not confused with the word “as”)
You can buy CD’s in that shop.
These are the do’s and don’ts. (apostrophe "s" used as “dos” may be misread)
10’s; 100’s; A+’s; A.U.’s; don’t’s; s’s
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
suffix
Meaning 8
Used to form plurals of foreign words, to clarify pronunciation, such as “banana’s” or “pasta’s”.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme, obsolete
Examples
index’s
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
suffix
Meaning 9
Used to form the plural of nouns that correctly take just an "s" in the plural. See greengrocer’s apostrophe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: enclitic, morpheme, proscribed
Examples
Apple’s 50p a pound
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English -s, -es, from Old English -es (“-'s”, masculine and neuter genitive singular ending), from Proto-Germanic *-as, *-is (masculine and neuter genitive singular ending). The apostrophe was added under the false belief that it was a contraction of English his, and retained to distinguish it from the plural. Cognate with Dutch -s, -es (“-'s”), German -s, -es (“-'s”), Danish -s, -es (“-'s”), Swedish -s (“-'s”), Norwegian -s (“-'s”), Icelandic -s (“-'s”).
Equivalent to -s, with addition of apostrophe.
Across languages
Translations
76 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
se
— possessive marker
Southern Amami Ōshima:
な
(na)
— possessive marker
Armenian:
-ի
— possessive marker
Armenian:
-յի
(-yi)
— possessive marker
Bengali:
-এর
(-er)
— possessive marker
Bengali:
-র
(-ro)
— possessive marker
Bulgarian:
на
(na)
— possessive marker
Burmese:
၏
(e)
— possessive marker
Chinese Cantonese:
嘅
(ge3)
— possessive marker
Chinese Cantonese:
的
(dik1)
— possessive marker
Chinese Cantonese:
之
(zi1)
— possessive marker
Chinese Mandarin:
的
(de)
— possessive marker
Chinese Mandarin:
之
(zhī)
— possessive marker
Crimean Tatar:
-nıñ
— possessive marker
Crimean Tatar:
-niñ
— possessive marker
Czech:
-ův
— possessive marker
Czech:
-in
— possessive marker
Dutch:
-s
— possessive marker
Dutch:
van
— possessive marker
Esperanto:
de
— possessive marker
Finnish:
-n
— possessive marker
French:
de
— possessive marker
West-Frisian:
fan
— possessive marker
West-Frisian:
-'s
— possessive marker
German:
-s
— possessive marker
German:
-s
— possessive marker
German:
-sch
— possessive marker
Greek:
του
(tou)
— possessive marker
Greek:
της
(tis)
— possessive marker
Greek:
των
(ton)
— possessive marker
Hebrew:
שֶׁל
(shel)
— possessive marker
Hindi:
का
(kā)
— possessive marker
Hindi:
के
(ke)
— possessive marker
Hindi:
की
(kī)
— possessive marker
Hindi:
की
(kī)
— possessive marker
Hungarian:
-é
— possessive marker
Italian:
di
— possessive marker
Japanese:
の
(no)
— possessive marker
Japanese:
が
(ga)
— possessive marker
Japanese:
つ
(tsu)
— possessive marker
Japanese:
ん
(n)
— possessive marker
Khmer:
នៃ
(nɨy)
— possessive marker
Korean:
의
(ui)
— possessive marker
Lao:
ຂອງ
(khǭng)
— possessive marker
Malay:
milik
— possessive marker
Neapolitan:
'e
— possessive marker
Norwegian:
-s
— possessive marker
Portuguese:
de
— possessive marker
Russian:
-ов
(-ov)
— possessive marker
Russian:
-ев
(-ev)
— possessive marker
Russian:
-ёв
(-jóv)
— possessive marker
Russian:
-ин
(-in)
— possessive marker
Russian:
-ын
(-yn)
— possessive marker
Spanish:
de
— possessive marker
Swedish:
-s
— possessive marker
Thai:
ของ
(kɔ̌ɔng)
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-nin
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-nun
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-nın -nün
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-in
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-un
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-ün
— possessive marker
Turkish:
-ın
— possessive marker
Urdu:
کا
(kā)
— possessive marker
Urdu:
کے
(ke)
— possessive marker
Urdu:
کی
(kī)
— possessive marker
Urdu:
کی
(kī)
— possessive marker
Vietnamese:
của
— possessive marker
Azerbaijani:
-gil
— the house/place/establishment of
