Word part · Latin suffix
The Latin suffix -ant
Means: a person who does something, or doing.
At a glance
- Part
- -ant
- Meaning
- a person who does something, or doing
- Layer
- Latin: Prefixes, suffixes and roots behind many school and book words.
- Also spelled
- ent
Can name a person (assistant) or describe one (observant). Pairs with -ance and -ence on the same base.
Example words
Read each word, then its sum: the parts that build it, and what they mean together.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
- assist (root or base)+ant (suffix)→assistant
a person who helps
- serve (root or base)+ant (suffix)→servant
a person who serves others
serve + ant: drop the e → servant
- observe (root or base)+ant (suffix)→observant
quick to notice things
observe + ant: drop the e → observant
- excel (root or base)+ent (suffix)→excellent
very, very good
excel + ent: double the last letter → excellent
- re (prefix)+pel (root or base)+ent (suffix)→repellent
something that pushes bugs away
re + pel + ent: double the last letter → repellent
- e (prefix)+vid (root or base)+ent (suffix)→evident
easy to see; plain
e + vid + ent: the prefix changes to match → evident
- de (prefix)+pend (root or base)+ent (suffix)→dependent
relying on someone or something
- in (prefix)+de (prefix)+pend (root or base)+ent (suffix)→independent
not relying on others; free
- pend (root or base)+ant (suffix)→pendant
a jewel that hangs on a chain
- hydr (root or base)+ant (suffix)→hydrant
a pipe by the street where firefighters get water
- hydr (root or base)+ant (suffix)+s (suffix)→hydrants
more than one hydrant
- persist (root or base)+ent (suffix)→persistent
keeping on and not giving up
Original word lists and meanings written by Literacy Trail.
Taught alongside
Parts that share a lesson with -ant.
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