Word part · Anglo-Saxon suffix
Suffix -hood words: meaning and 15 examples
In short
The Anglo-Saxon suffix -hood (from Old English) means "the time or state of being; or a group of". Words with it include childhood, boyhood, girlhood, knighthood, neighborhood and adulthood. It names a stage of life (childhood), a state (falsehood) or a group of people (neighborhood).
- Part
- -hood
- Meaning
- the time or state of being; or a group of
- Origin
- Anglo-Saxon
- Words listed
- 15
It names a stage of life (childhood), a state (falsehood) or a group of people (neighborhood). The base keeps all its letters.
Words with the Anglo-Saxon suffix -hood
The list runs from shorter, common words to longer ones. The bands are a rough guide built from syllable count and how common each word is in our word list, not a grade-level standard. Read each word, then its word sum.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
Start here: short, common words (about grades 3 and 4)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| childhood | child (root or base)+hood (suffix)→childhood | the time of being a child |
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| boyhood | boy (root or base)+hood (suffix)→boyhood | the time of being a boy |
| neighborhood | neighbor (root or base)+hood (suffix)→neighborhood | the area where a group of neighbors live |
| adulthood | adult (root or base)+hood (suffix)→adulthood | the time of being an adult |
| parenthood | parent (root or base)+hood (suffix)→parenthood | the state of being a parent |
| brotherhood | brother (root or base)+hood (suffix)→brotherhood | a group of people who act like brothers |
| sisterhood | sister (root or base)+hood (suffix)→sisterhood | a group of people who act like sisters |
| motherhood | mother (root or base)+hood (suffix)→motherhood | the state of being a mother |
| fatherhood | father (root or base)+hood (suffix)→fatherhood | the state of being a father |
| falsehood | false (root or base)+hood (suffix)→falsehood | something false, a lie |
| statehood | state (root or base)+hood (suffix)→statehood | the state of being a state |
| likelihood | likely (root or base)+hood (suffix)→likelihoodchange y to i | how likely something is to happen |
| babyhood | baby (root or base)+hood (suffix)→babyhood | the time of being a baby |
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| girlhood | girl (root or base)+hood (suffix)→girlhood | the time of being a girl |
| knighthood | knight (root or base)+hood (suffix)→knighthood | the rank of being a knight |
How do you teach the suffix -hood?
Begin with childhood, because every student has one. Ask, "When was your childhood?" and let them notice that the word names a time of life. Add adulthood, parenthood and babyhood and build a quick timeline. Next show the group sense: a neighborhood is the group of neighbors around you, and a sisterhood is a group of people who act like sisters. Keep falsehood for older students; it means the state of being false, so a lie.
A quick routine
Write child, adult, parent, neighbor and state in a column. Say, "Hood makes a word that names a time, a state or a group. Child plus hood is childhood: the time of being a child." The student builds each word, reads it, and sorts it into time, state or group. Ask for one sentence using neighborhood. Then dictate brotherhood, base first, suffix second.
What do students mix up with -hood?
A hood on a jacket or a car is a plain word, not a suffix, so a student may picture clothing when they see -hood. Likelihood is a real -hood word, but the y in likely changes to i before the suffix, which hides the base. Write likely + hood on the board and show the swap.
Some of these words change spelling where the parts join. The spelling rules pages cover dropping e, doubling and changing y to i. For the sounds inside these words, see the phonics word lists. Routines that fit: meanings of prefixes and suffixes, circle the parts, read the base and flexible routine for big words.
Questions people ask
What does the suffix -hood mean?
-hood means "the time or state of being; or a group of". It is a Anglo-Saxon suffix. It names a stage of life (childhood), a state (falsehood) or a group of people (neighborhood). The base keeps all its letters.
What are some words with the suffix -hood?
Start with childhood. Then move to boyhood, neighborhood, girlhood and knighthood. This page lists 15 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Why does likelihood have an i?
The base is likely. When a suffix is added to a word that ends in a consonant and y, the y usually changes to i: likely becomes likeli before hood. Babyhood is an exception that keeps its y.
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