Lõppsuffix

Lõppsuffix is a linguistic term used in Estonian-language linguistic literature to refer to any suffix that attaches to the end of a word stem to form inflected or derived forms. The compound word lõppsuffix combines lõpp (end) and suffix, signaling its position at the word's end. In linguistic description, such suffixes are contrasted with prefixes, which attach to the beginning of a word, and with infixes, which insert inside the word.

Lõppsuffixes serve a range of functions. They can indicate grammatical categories such as number, case, tense, mood, or voice, and they can also create new words through derivation, such as diminutives, causatives, or agent nouns. They may combine with other affixes in a chain, and their phonology may interact with the stem, occasionally causing vowel harmony or consonant alternations.

In practical grammar, the analysis of lõppsuffixes helps describe how a language organizes word forms and how speakers convey information through endings rather than separate words. In Estonian, for example, a large portion of inflection and word formation is carried by end-position suffixes, which attach to the root to express grammatical relations and lexical derivation. This makes suffixation a central mechanism in the language's morphology.

Lõppsuffix is primarily a descriptive term used by linguists and language teachers. It is not a different class of affixes in itself but a label for suffixes that occur at the end of words, as opposed to prefixes or other internal affixes. The concept helps organize discussions of morphology across languages that use suffixes prominently.