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Word part · Latin suffix

The Latin suffix -ance

Means: the act of, or the state of.

At a glance

Part
-ance
Meaning
the act of, or the state of
Layer
Latin: Prefixes, suffixes and roots behind many school and book words.
Also spelled
ence

Your ear cannot tell a from e here. Match a partner word you know: assistant, assistance; different, difference.

Example words

Read each word, then its sum: the parts that build it, and what they mean together.

Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix

  • perform (root or base)+ance (suffix)→performance

    a show; the act of performing

  • appear (root or base)+ance (suffix)→appearance

    the way something looks; the act of appearing

  • assist (root or base)+ance (suffix)→assistance

    help

  • annoy (root or base)+ance (suffix)→annoyance

    the feeling of being bothered

  • guide (root or base)+ance (suffix)→guidance

    help and advice that guide you

    guide + ance: drop the e → guidance

  • differ (root or base)+ence (suffix)→difference

    a way in which things are not alike

  • exist (root or base)+ence (suffix)→existence

    the state of being real

  • confide (root or base)+ence (suffix)→confidence

    trust, especially in yourself

    confide + ence: drop the e → confidence

  • pre (prefix)+fer (root or base)+ence (suffix)→preference

    the thing you like better

  • re (prefix)+fer (root or base)+ence (suffix)→reference

    a book or source you go back to for facts

  • con (prefix)+fer (root or base)+ence (suffix)→conference

    a meeting where people come together to talk

  • audi (root or base)+ence (suffix)→audience

    a group of people who listen or watch

Original word lists and meanings written by Literacy Trail.