- Words with a certain ending
- Nouns with the suffix «-ant»
This morpheme tends to mean «a thing or a being«. Some of the most representative words that include it are: mutant, coolant, inhalant . It’s typically applied to nouns.
See the full list below:
Showing only 1,000 items. 1,210 elements in total
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plant -
grant -
restaurant -
defendant -
tenant -
sergeant -
assistant -
merchant -
servant -
infant -
consultant -
peasant -
applicant -
giant -
accountant -
lieutenant -
covenant -
elephant -
instant -
warrant -
participant -
mutant -
appellant -
transplant -
variant -
ant -
constant -
attendant -
want -
claimant -
chant -
migrant -
determinant -
protestant -
fondant -
descendant -
occupant -
pageant -
pheasant -
pendant -
complainant -
remnant -
informant -
penchant -
adjutant -
tyrant -
consonant -
disinfectant -
quadrant -
assailant -
implant -
slant -
entrant -
commandant -
irritant -
supernatant -
vagrant -
inhabitant -
immigrant -
confidant -
blackcurrant -
cant -
dependant -
sealant -
ascendant -
lubricant -
militant -
pennant -
stimulant -
litigant -
levant -
contestant -
currant -
manservant -
rant -
pollutant -
serjeant -
lavant -
deodorant -
co-defendant -
concomitant -
deviant -
flamboyant -
coolant -
recombinant -
cormorant -
versant -
celebrant -
undertenant -
emigrant -
croissant -
durant -
debutant -
dominant -
besant -
maidservant -
pant -
brant -
pleasant -
oliphant -
pedant -
combatant -
sub-lieutenant -
malignant -
aspirant -
quant -
anti-depressant -
sextant -
clairvoyant -
propellant -
chemoattractant -
contaminant -
houseplant -
anti-perspirant -
retardant -
antidepressant -
mordant -
savant -
powerplant -
surfactant -
supergiant -
odorant -
supplicant -
subtenant -
colourant -
plainchant -
subdominant -
refrigerant -
relaxant -
flagellant -
reactant -
hydrant -
errant -
sonorant -
intendant -
bouffant -
miscreant -
descant -
termagant -
suppliant -
suppressant -
adjuvant -
alternant -
dispersant -
executant -
redcurrant -
ruminant -
sclerosant -
anticoagulant -
non-combatant -
precipitant -
mediant -
operant -
fumigant -
postulant -
communicant -
sibilant -
antioxidant -
transfectant -
aberrant -
oxidant -
recusant -
mendicant -
continuant -
etchant -
sycophant -
officiant -
knight-errant -
intoxicant -
registrant -
attractant -
decongestant -
pursuivant -
sterilant -
nurturant -
fabricant -
eggplant -
courant -
discussant -
isoquant -
alliant -
dopant -
regnant -
transformant -
transconjugant -
lant -
submediant -
eluant -
immunosuppressant -
superplant -
appurtenant -
titrant -
revenant -
colorant -
repellant -
vivant -
coagulant -
shant -
inhalant -
formant -
depressant -
defoliant -
remontant -
regrant -
disputant -
penetrant -
foodplant -
reductant -
maid-servant -
flame-retardant -
toxicant -
explant -
adulterant -
discrepant -
sequestrant -
replicant -
seruant -
intrant -
codominant -
retreatant -
covariant -
examinant -
insulant -
asphyxiant -
expectorant -
electant -
bien-pensant -
illuminant -
womanservant -
passant -
antiperspirant -
excommunicant -
octant -
extractant -
interpretant -
exfoliant -
recreant -
annuitant -
exhalant -
ashplant -
concelebrant -
inoculant -
waterplant -
visitant -
equant -
orant -
denaturant -
calibrant -
declarant -
cosurfactant -
avant -
depletant -
protectant -
desiccant -
somnambulant -
antifeedant -
genotoxicant -
ghost ant -
great cormorant -
bull ant -
rimonabant -
transmigrant -
preruminant -
red imported fire ant -
episcopant -
sea pheasant -
tulipant -
crow pheasant -
North African elephant -
under-sergeant -
nucleant -
minorant -
selectant -
telcagepant -
bull elephant -
transductant -
death warrant -
remenant -
California pitcher plant -
antiozonant -
flocculant -
dehydrant -
chemosterilant -
seed plant -
collitigant -
corvorant -
nonconsultant -
germinant -
truant -
negative pregnant -
resiant -
nepadutant -
cooperant -
unicorn plant -
bezzant -
rogue elephant -
sales assistant -
school crossing attendant -
fire hydrant -
simulant -
codopant -
coöperant -
knight errant -
splice variant -
dotant -
terebrant -
Corybant -
cryoprotectant -
bepafant -
propositional constant -
genovariant -
abirritant -
money plant -
indentured servant -
romant -
extinguishant -
sensitive plant -
cotenant -
fosaprepitant -
vicariant -
boob implant -
affirmant -
yellow supergiant -
oyster plant -
altitonant -
hostplant -
implicant -
joint tenant -
noncommunicant -
acid dissociation constant -
homotransplant -
house plant -
cocrystallant -
depurant -
superdominant -
surnatant -
inspissant -
procreant -
resurrection plant -
spirant -
radiant -
transhumant -
serlopitant -
flowering plant -
beauseant -
fundamental constant -
microgrant -
clinquant -
nonirritant -
dilettant -
gyant -
osmoprotectant -
maturant -
coinhabitant -
tulopafant -
predominant -
bisecant -
noncontaminant -
enemy combatant -
excitant -
asant -
compass plant -
castor oil plant -
discriminant -
lion ant -
interferant -
injectant -
neuroprotectant -
nonpeasant -
actant -
basimglurant -
nonapplicant -
chemotherapeutant -
claircognizant -
conversant -
corroborant -
proppant -
habitant -
wood ant -
terrace chant -
misdemeanant -
power plant -
lemon ant -
subdeterminant -
resuscitant -
oysterplant -
celebutant -
provant -
duck ant -
Jody chant -
warrior ant -
disruptant -
Independent Olympic Participant -
water elephant -
cardiant -
catalecticant -
Zeuthen-Segre invariant -
claudicant -
antitranspirant -
fire retardant -
public servant -
technopeasant -
iceplant -
aprepitant -
pot plant -
social lubricant -
bitterant -
nonmutant -
evectant -
autotransplant -
Albany pitcher plant -
intercalant -
counterirritant -
courant -
delustrant -
nonlitigant -
nova remnant -
equilibrant -
image consultant -
empress regnant -
coadjutant -
decoglurant -
gerant -
nuclear power plant -
Dirac constant -
recalcitrant -
Lord-Lieutenant -
penitant -
exsecant -
canoe plant -
tea oil plant -
cauterant -
paralysant -
pharaoh ant -
irrigant -
counteractant -
jesserant -
non-vascular plant -
Langton’s ant -
zealant -
ghost plant -
disinformant -
undocumented immigrant -
noninfant -
Einstein constant -
commutant -
loop invariant -
byzant -
tastant -
complexant -
corrodant -
nondopant -
supermilitant -
oppugnant -
meat ant -
chemical plant -
imprisonment warrant -
bacchant -
language assistant -
accelerant -
mahant -
tea plant -
shibilant -
nonsurfactant -
interpellant -
turf accountant -
dacopafant -
re-odorant -
rescuant -
coadjuvant -
turf ant -
movant -
subaccountant -
brilliant -
opinant -
osanetant -
administrant -
heterotransplant -
exsiccant -
photoprotectant -
avoidant -
polyinhalant -
spider plant -
leadplant -
civil celebrant -
depopulant -
agglutinant -
Euro-immigrant -
appendant -
saturant -
underassistant -
nondeviant -
Euroimmigrant -
equilibrium constant -
fine-structure constant -
nonmerchant -
vesicant -
absolute constant -
euroimmigrant -
icatibant -
compassplant -
consolidant -
shop assistant -
beractant -
reapplicant -
non-essential prime implicant -
subvariant -
copy-number variant -
soap plant -
deliriant -
landed immigrant -
radiator plant -
adragant -
serodeterminant -
eyeservant -
assplant -
Irish pennant -
polyester Protestant -
mountant -
library assistant -
antiscalant -
sweatpant -
zeawant -
roi fainéant -
therapeutant -
secant -
subgiant -
accusant -
blue supergiant -
saredutant -
glycovariant -
regurgitant -
wind-up merchant -
macroplant -
intolerant -
barstaurant -
exudant -
crystallant -
renunciant -
vascular plant -
cohabitant -
practisant -
bien pensant -
medicant -
topgallant -
psychophant -
nonrecombinant -
imaginant -
beauty pageant -
Zante currant -
terre-tenant -
matriculant -
congratulant -
speed merchant -
bioimplant -
rip-off merchant -
cataloreactant -
passage migrant -
civil servant -
hypergiant -
misinformant -
cosecant -
noncompliant -
pump attendant -
revenue sharing grant -
terikalant -
corposant -
biostimulant -
teleconsultant -
coinvariant -
potplant -
disintegrant -
release warrant -
phagostimulant -
trilliant -
fulvestrant -
discant -
decolorant -
quantum valebant -
African elephant -
taranabant -
essential prime implicant -
indeterminant -
monopropellant -
alleviant -
prayer plant -
funeral celebrant -
outmigrant -
African forest elephant -
packing plant -
grocerant -
certified accountant -
orphant -
phytotoxicant -
compearant -
Prince Valiant -
bipropellant -
parking attendant -
congregant -
noninhabitant -
glidant -
refusant -
xenotransplant -
certified public accountant -
sea-pheasant -
fire-retardant -
olifant -
arahant -
semaphorant -
common pheasant -
corpse plant -
israpafant -
bullet ant -
manic-depressant -
zebra plant -
ignorant -
pegvisomant -
decolourant -
raseglurant -
even-servant -
semaphore plant -
were-elephant -
euphoriant -
contractor combatant -
slave ant -
negotiant -
repentant -
chenille plant -
plainant -
sonant -
bicommutant -
bioinoculant -
African savannah elephant -
search warrant -
misplant -
demandant -
subgrant -
green cormorant -
abdicant -
scrap merchant -
tramp ant -
precant -
biosurfactant -
cocelebrant -
poursuivant -
jurant -
proviant -
avowant -
pottant -
fusant -
acidulant -
reodorant -
aggregant -
personal assistant -
apafant -
dilutant -
metallotolerant -
anticonvulsant -
pieplant -
treant -
antifoulant -
circuit intendant -
airplant -
nonaspirant -
black-sant -
aliquant -
exercitant -
ministrant -
sleeping giant -
Vodouisant -
sublieutenant -
century plant -
personal covenant -
red supergiant -
calmant -
potted plant -
rate constant -
arc-boutant -
Lorentz invariant -
optant -
adamant -
face-plant -
air plant -
triple reassortant -
black currant -
wereelephant -
white ant -
anorexiant -
personal digital assistant -
air pollutant -
panda ant -
interpolant -
class invariant -
inebriant -
slave-making ant -
soil sterilant -
Lady Amherst’s pheasant -
half-pant -
organ transplant -
winemerchant -
termigant -
homeotransplant -
arcsecant -
significant -
débutant -
capital grant -
email ombrant -
morphant -
insurant -
foregrant -
preladenant -
terrible infant -
eliminant -
se-tenant -
imitant -
leaf-cutter ant -
reagant -
guardant -
accomptant -
hand plant -
marcantant -
bench warrant -
rainbow plant -
Western Australian pitcher plant -
Rydberg constant -
honey ant -
horse ant -
semblant -
pant -
pleurant -
deflocculant -
degradant -
nonmigrant -
leaf-cutting ant -
subalternant -
ring-necked pheasant -
pant -
taggant -
hepatotoxicant -
circulant -
permeant -
underservant -
soucouyant -
nonaccountant -
bon vivant -
abdominal quadrant -
jet ant -
antinauseant -
microexplant -
counterclaimant -
nonmilitant -
nonstimulant -
odourant -
hyperdeterminant -
personal lubricant -
scrapmerchant -
corpusant -
resistant -
nondefendant -
bon-vivant -
cant -
febricitant -
myorelaxant -
nifekalant -
drant -
mimophant -
cochlear implant -
acceptant -
halant -
teaching assistant -
ter-tenant -
Turkey merchant -
bant -
handplant -
codefendant -
carpenter ant -
nauseant -
Madelung constant -
outplant -
ice giant -
cooxidant -
sauba ant -
senior infant -
infiltrant -
fiber plant -
acquaintant -
carburetant -
countercomplainant -
psychostimulant -
diffusant -
supernova remnant -
pregnant -
deletant -
exconjugant -
predeterminant -
staff sergeant -
suffragant -
pad elephant -
honey plant -
hypermutant -
quenchant -
referee assistant -
scant -
terminant -
absorbant -
orthant -
ultrasupernatant -
quasideterminant -
hyperdispersant -
real covenant -
tetramutant -
Protestant -
nonvariant -
majorant -
immanant -
immunoadjuvant -
thief ant -
excosecant -
itinerant -
superinvariant -
microvariant -
idant -
arccosecant -
crant -
gallopheasant -
velvet ant -
honey-pot ant -
peccant -
alterant -
libelant -
remonstrant -
driver ant -
tonophant -
computant -
confessant -
black garden ant -
greater adjutant -
dove plant -
representant -
menstruant -
ice plant -
figurant -
lucinactant -
telegraph plant -
food plant -
obscurant -
white currant -
restrictive covenant -
Indian elephant -
prooxidant -
leafcutter ant -
reclaimant -
red ant -
Trabant -
libellant -
tableau vivant -
chainsaw consultant -
ameliorant -
humble plant -
maskant -
meter attendant -
first lieutenant -
white elephant -
reoxidant -
fecal transplant -
necromant -
polka-dot plant -
snow plant -
pustulant -
latrant -
offendant -
anticipant -
sectant -
shrimp plant -
cytoplasmic determinant -
red-faced cormorant -
evacuant -
Australian pitcher plant -
costimulant -
symbolic constant -
amarant -
jazerant -
deforciant -
Swiss cheese plant -
anovulant -
performant -
contraindicant -
waxplant -
immunoprecipitant -
quadrisecant -
waterwheel plant -
tremolant -
prime implicant -
turbant -
cytoprotectant -
chatoyant -
almokalant -
assigned servant -
nasal consonant -
Korybant -
whitecurrant -
salivant -
amplicant -
predicant -
dijudicant -
grapple plant -
faceplant -
balloon plant -
Giant -
pickle plant -
reaction rate constant -
weaver ant -
ecomigrant -
Chinese pheasant -
waterplant -
Premonstrant -
bioprotectant -
deodourant -
surveillant -
time constant -
sea elephant -
interactant -
coparticipant -
vinegar plant -
Lieutenant -
mari complaisant -
amplificant -
tiprolisant -
phosphomutant -
tiprosilant -
hyperoctant -
colour sergeant -
urticant -
reducant -
neurotoxicant -
superannuant -
second lieutenant -
Afrodescendant -
demogrant -
golden pheasant -
non partant -
allotransplant -
sacrificant -
encapsulant -
mendiant -
idiot savant -
Argentine ant -
damage feasant -
vasorelaxant -
your servant -
lant -
idiot-savant -
commorant -
pitcher plant -
bailiff-errant -
lant -
regenerant -
roborant -
tremulant -
faineant -
autoadjuvant -
foulant -
zelant -
fainéant -
pretendant -
enhabitant -
generant -
superantioxidant -
almorexant -
microcontaminant -
piss ant -
nonsonant -
dinosaur plant -
aspectant -
Observant -
army ant -
solicitant -
declaimant -
dessin d’enfant -
permutant -
Freund’s adjuvant -
debilitant -
safari ant -
mendinant -
perdurant -
Impeyan pheasant -
blue ant -
dipraglurant -
containant -
crazy ant -
visiting ant -
Norplant -
contraremonstrant -
first sergeant -
preregnant -
domestic servant -
alicant -
convulsant -
icicle plant -
Planck constant
Note: these words have been obtained from Wiktionary and have been classified and improved through automated computer linguistics processes.
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Have you ever noticed that many words in the English language end in the letters -ant? My English students have. The suffix -ant is a common word ending that is used to create new words with specific meanings. After some research, I put together this blog post to give you a better understanding of how this suffix works. Now you will be able to recognize it in words you encounter every day.
The suffix -ant is used in English to form adjectives and nouns that describe a person or thing that performs a particular action OR has a particular quality. It can be added to verbs and nouns to create new words with specific meanings.
Assist – assistant
Defy – defiant
Keep reading for definitions and lots of real example sentences. As an added bonus, there’s a free PDF download that provides a list of words that use the suffix -ant with live links from the post. This resource can be a handy reference tool for anyone looking to improve their vocabulary. You can find the download link at the bottom of the page.
Table of Contents
- The Suffix -ANT (Meaning)
- The Suffix -ANT (An Easy Guide)
- The Suffix -ANT (Real Examples)
- Adjectives
- Nouns
- The Suffix -ANT FAQ (Frequently Asked Question)
- Printable Suffix -ANT PDF Word List
The Suffix -ANT (Meaning)
The suffix -ant is combined with words to make adjectives that mean – that is or does something
The adjective significant means something that signifies. Significant is made from the verb signify.
- The birth of my daughter was the most significant event in my life.
The suffix -ant is also used to form new nouns that mean – a person or thing that
An assistant is a person that assists.
- Wanda has worked as a dental assistant for 11 years.
The Suffix -ANT (An Easy Guide)
- Verbs that end in -ate often use the suffix -ant to indicate a person or thing that performs an action. For example, dominate becomes dominant, deviate becomes deviant, and stimulate becomes stimulant.
- Verbs that end in -y often drop the y and add -iant to indicate a person or thing that performs an action. For example, defy becomes defiant, and comply becomes compliant.
- Nouns ending in -ANCE will sometimes have an adjective form that ends with -ANT. For example, brilliance becomes brilliant, and relevance becomes relevant.
*NOTE* There are exceptions and irregularities to these rules, and some words may follow different patterns. However, understanding these basic rules can help you identify and understand many words that use the suffix -ant.
Commonly Confused Suffixes: -ant vs. -ent
Word + ANT | New Word |
---|---|
Verb | Noun |
consult | consultant – an expert who consults |
relax | relaxant – a drug that makes the body relax |
Verb ending in -ATE | Adjective |
dominate | dominant |
stimulate | stimulant |
Verbs ending with -y | (y) becomes (i) Adjective |
defy | defiant |
comply | compliant |
Nouns with -ANCE | Adjective |
brilliance | brilliant |
relevance | relevant |
Adjectives
abundant – existing in large quantities; more than enough
・There is abundant wildlife in the forest behind my school.
arrogant – behaving in a proud, unpleasant way, showing little thought for other people
・Don’t be arrogant and think you’re better than everyone else.
brilliant – extremely clever or impressive/very intelligent or showing a lot of skill/(of light or colors) very bright
・Mason’s brilliant idea helped our group win the science fair.
buoyant – floating, able to float, or able to keep things floating
・A good life jacket will help you stay buoyant if the boat goes under.
cognizant – having knowledge or understanding of something
・You need to be cognizant of the rules before you start playing the game.
compliant – in agreement with a set of rules
・It’s important to be compliant with the school dress code.
defiant – openly refusing to obey somebody/something, sometimes in an aggressive way
・The defiant student refused to follow the teacher’s instructions.
deviant – different from what most people consider to be normal and acceptable
・His deviant behavior got him in trouble with the law.
distant – far away in space or time
・My time at summer camp was never enjoyable, now it’s just a distant memory.
dominant – more important, powerful, or easy to notice than other things
・The lion is a dominant predator in the African savanna.
elegant – (of people or their behavior) attractive and showing a good sense of style
・She wore an elegant dress to the formal dance.
errant – doing something that is wrong; not behaving in an acceptable way
・An errant soccer ball sailed over the fence and a hit a car parked on the street.
extravagant – spending a lot more money or using a lot more of something than you can afford or than is necessary
・He spent an extravagant amount of money on his new car.
exuberant – full of energy, excitement, and happiness
・The exuberant puppy wagged its tail and licked our faces.
flippant – showing that you do not take something as seriously as other people think you should
・She made a flippant comment that hurt her friend’s feelings.
fire-retardant – that makes a fire burn more slowly
・The walls of the safe are made with fire-retardant materials.
hesitant – slow to speak or act because you feel uncertain, embarrassed or unwilling
・He was hesitant to try the new food but ended up loving it.
ignorant – not having or showing much knowledge or information about things; not educated/with very bad manners
・Some people are ignorant about the struggles of others who are different from them.
malignant - (of a tumor or disease) that cannot be controlled and is likely to cause death
・Unfortunately, the tests showed that the tumor was malignant.
migrant – (of a person) moving from one place to another in order to find work or better living conditions
・This part of the country has a large seasonal migrant population, who only work during the harvest months in autumn.
mutant – (of a living thing) different in some way from others of the same kind because of a change in its genetic structure
・Scientists have found a mutant strain of the virus that can resist vaccinations.
observant – good at noticing things around you
・The observant detective noticed a hidden clue that helped solve the case.
pleasant – fun, attractive, or giving pleasure/friendly and polite
・The weather was pleasant today. It was the perfect day to spend in the park.
predominant – most obvious or easy to notice
・In most parts of the world, English is the predominant language spoken in business and education.
pursuant – according to or following something, especially a rule or law
・Pursuant to the school’s dress code, male students must always wear a tie and jacket.
radiant – showing great happiness, love or health/giving a warm bright light
・The sun was radiant and bright in the clear blue sky.
relevant – closely connected with the subject you are discussing or the situation you are in
・My interviewer asked me if I had any relevant experience that would help me do the job.
irrelevant – not important to or connected with a situation
・Our boss ignored Peter’s irrelevant question and continued with the meeting.
reliant – needing somebody/something in order to survive, be successful, etc.
・The organization is reliant on charitable donations.
reluctant – hesitating before doing something because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do
・Once in custody, the suspect was reluctant to answer any questions.
repentant – feeling or showing that you are sorry for something wrong that you have done
・The repentant thief returned the stolen items and apologized for his actions.
resistant – not affected by something; able to resist something
・New antibiotics are always being developed to fight drug-resistant bacteria.
Common compound words with resistant –
- heat-resistant
- water-resistant
resonant – (of sound) deep, clear, and continuing for a long time
・The resonant sound of the drum echoed throughout the room.
resultant – caused by the thing that has just been mentioned
・Members of the government believe that after lowering taxes the resultant increase in consumer spending will boost the economy.
significant – large or important enough to have an effect or to be noticed
・The test results were excellent and showed a significant improvement in the students’ abilities.
insignificant – not big or valuable enough to be considered important
・We shouldn’t waste time on issues that are insignificant.
tolerant – able to accept what other people say or do even if you do not agree with it
・A good leader is tolerant of different ideas from their citizens.
triumphant – very successful in a way that causes great pleasure
・The team was triumphant and celebrated their victory with a parade down Main street.
vacant – (of a seat, hotel room, house, etc.) empty; not being used
・The hotel room was vacant and available for guests to rent.
variant – slightly different in form or type from something else
・The artist created a variant version of the painting with a darker color scheme.
vigilant – very careful to notice any signs of danger or trouble
・The vigilant security guard kept watch to ensure everyone’s safety.
Nouns
accountant – a person whose job is to keep or check financial accounts
・My mom works as an accountant at a big company.
antidepressant – a drug used to treat the illness depression
・Some people take antidepressant medication to help with their mood.
antiperspirant – a substance that people use, especially under their arms, to prevent or reduce sweat
・I need to wear antiperspirant to stay dry during gym class.
applicant – a person who makes a formal request for something (= applies for it), especially for a job, a place at a college or university, etc.
・Diane was a strong applicant for the scholarship.
assailant – a person who attacks somebody, especially physically
・The police caught the assailant after a long chase.
assistant – a person who helps or supports somebody, usually in their job
・My teacher’s assistant helped me with my math homework. He is very kind.
attendant – a person whose job is to serve or help people in a public place
・The flight attendant gave us snacks and drinks on the plane.
claimant – a person who claims something because they believe they have a right to it
・The claimant argued that the car accident was the other driver’s fault and that the other driver should pay the repair costs.
combatant – a person or group involved in fighting in a war or battle
・The combatants fought bravely in the war.
complainant – a person who makes a formal complaint against somebody in court
・The complainant accused his neighbor of damaging his fence.
confidant – a person that you trust and who you talk to about private or secret things
・I told my best friend, who is my confidant, about my secret crush.
consultant – a person who knows a lot about a particular subject and is employed to give advice about it to other people
・A marketing consultant gave us advice on how to increase our sales.
contaminant – a substance that makes something impure
・Contaminants in the water made it unsafe to drink.
contestant – a person who takes part in a contest or competition
・The contestant sang a beautiful song and won first place in the competition.
coolant – a liquid that is used for cooling an engine, a nuclear reactor, etc.
・The coolant in the car’s engine helps to regulate its temperature.
debutant – a person who is making their first public appearance, especially in sport or films
・She was nervous about her debutant ball, but it ended up being a lot of fun.
decongestant – a medicine that helps somebody with a cold to breathe more easily by unblocking their nose
・My decongestant helped me breathe better when I had a bad cold.
defendant – the person in a trial who is accused of committing a crime, or who is being sued by another person
・The defendant was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to jail.
deodorant – a substance that people put on their bodies to prevent or hide unpleasant smells
・I need to put on deodorant after my shower so I don’t smell bad.
dependant – a person, especially a child, who depends on another person for a home, food, money, etc. *NOTE – This word is also spelled dependent, especially in North America.
・I’ve been taking care of my little brother for the past year so I can list him as a dependent on my tax return.
descendant – a person’s descendants are their children, their children’s children, and all the people who live after them who are related to them
・My grandmother loves to tell stories about our family’s descendants who came to America on a ship.
deviant – a person who behaves differently from what most people to consider to be normal and acceptable
・Prisons are supposed to keep law-abiding citizens safe from criminal deviants.
disinfectant – a substance that kills bacteria, used for cleaning
・We used disinfectant to clean the kitchen after cooking chicken. Raw chicken has lots of dangerous bacteria.
emigrant – a person who leaves their country to live permanently in another
・My grandfather was an emigrant who left Europe to start a new life in Canada.
entrant – a person or group that has recently joined a profession, university, business, etc./a person or an animal that enters a race or a competition; a person that enters an exam
・The entrants submitted their artwork to the school art competition.
expectant – used to describe somebody who is going to have a baby soon or become a father
・The expectant mother was excited to welcome her new baby.
hydrant – a pipe in the street through which water can be sent using a pump in order to put out fires or to clean the streets
・It’s illegal to park your car in front of a fire hydrant. It makes it difficult for firemen to connect their hoses in case of a fire.
immigrant – a person who has come to live permanently in a different country from the one they were born in
・My ancestors were immigrants who came to America in search of a better life.
informant – a person who gives secret information about somebody/something to the police or the media
・The informant told the police about the criminal’s plans.
inhabitant – a person or an animal that lives in a particular place
・The inhabitants of the small town knew each other by name.
irritant – a substance that makes part of your body painful
・A chemical irritant from the lab got on the technician’s skin causing a rash.
litigant – a person who is making or defending a claim in court
・The litigant hired a lawyer to represent him in court.
lubricant – a substance, for example oil, that you put on surfaces or parts of a machine so that they move easily and smoothly
・Charlie sprayed some lubricant on the door hinge to stop it from squeaking.
merchant – a person who buys and sells goods in large quantities, especially one who imports and exports goods
・The merchant sold all kinds of goods at the market.
migrant – a person who moves from one place to another in order to find work or better living conditions
・Our country needs to open its borders to skilled migrants willing to come here and work.
militant – a person who uses, or is willing to use, force or strong pressure to achieve their aims, especially to achieve social or political change
・The militant group protested against the government’s policies.
mutant – a living thing with qualities that are different from its parents’ qualities because of a change in its genetic structure
・Scientists created a mutant of the protein in the lab.
occupant – a person who lives or works in a particular house, room, building, etc.
・The occupant of the house was not home when the fire started.
oxidant – a substance that makes another substance combine with oxygen
・The oxidant in the fruit turns brown when it is exposed to air.
participant – a person who is taking part in an activity or event
・All of the participants were given a certificate for finishing the race.
pollutant – a substance that pollutes something, especially air, and water
・Cars emit pollutants that harm the environment.
refrigerant – a chemical substance used in the refrigeration process
・A refrigerant is usually a liquid that is used to absorb heat from the air around it.
relaxant – a drug that is used to make the body relax
・I took a muscle relaxant and it immediately started to make me sleepy.
remnant – a part of something that is left after the other parts have been used, removed, destroyed, etc.
・The remnants of the meal were wrapped up and stored in the refrigerator for later use.
sealant – a substance that is put onto a surface to stop air, water, etc. from entering or escaping from it
・Sealant is used to fill gaps and prevent leaks in the roof.
servant – a person who works in another person’s house, and cooks, cleans, etc. for them
・The King’s servant helped prepare dinner and clean the house.
stimulant – a drug or substance that makes you feel more active and gives you more energy
・Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase alertness and energy.
tyrant – a person who has complete power in a country and uses it in a cruel and unfair way
・The company was run by a tyrant who treated his employees poorly and showed no regard for their well-being or job satisfaction.
variant – a thing that is a slightly different form or type of something else
・Rugby is a variant of soccer that began in England.
Did you know?
From the 14th and 15th centuries, various forms of “folk” or “mob” football were played. Two versions of this game emerged: one in which the ball was maneuvered with the legs and feet and one in which the ball was picked up and carried. These games were notable for being particularly violent. It was not unusual to see fighting, broken limbs, and sometimes even death during one of these matches.
SOURCE
The Suffix -ANT FAQ (Frequently Asked Question)
What’s the difference between the suffixes -ant and -ance?
The suffix -ant is combined with words to make adjectives that mean – that is or does something
Example significant (something that signifies)
“The birth of my daughter was the most significant event in my life.”
The suffix -ANCE is used to create nouns to mean the action or state of.
-ance suffix (in nouns) the action or state of
Example: performance (The action of performing)
“I won the match but I wasn’t happy with my performance.”
The suffixes -ant and -ance are connected in one way. The suffix -ant changes nouns that end with -ance into adjectives.
Example: the noun relevance becomes the adjective relevant when you change the suffix.
Learn more about the suffix -ANCE at my blog post here >> The Suffix -ANCE (52 Real Examples, Video, Free PDF)
Printable Suffix -ANT PDF Word List
Download the Word List as a printable PDF. Great for teachers to use with private or group classes. PDF contains the live links from the post.
Check out these other helpful PREFIX and SUFFIX blog posts.
Thanks to storyset.com a division of freepik.com for the great images. Images that were used in this post are linked below.
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На написание этой статьи меня подтолкнуло слово independent. Постоянно допускаю одну и ту же ошибку, как бы часто я его не встречала. Каждый раз выходит из-под моего пера independant. И каждый раз льщу себе тем, что так на меня влияет (относительное) знание французского языка (сравните ind?pendant), но мы-то с вами знаем, что это самообман. Подобные суффиксы –ance/–ence и соответственно —ant/—ent, а также —ancy/-ency продуктивны и часто вызывают орфографическую путаницу. Например, согласно OEC (Oxford English Corpus) ошибочное написание independant обнаружено в таких изданиях как The Guardian, American Zoologist и пр., статьи которых всегда подлежат пруфридингу. Всего примеров OED приводит ровно 737. Конечно, радует тот факт, что даже журналисты допускают ее. Вроде как, нам тогда подавно позволено писать independant. Но задумайтесь: даже если правила существуют для того, чтобы их нарушать, наш ум очень предвзят, многие отшатываются в ужасе от текста с орфографическими ошибками и мгновенно формируют нелестное мнение о писавшем. Это можно даже назвать дискриминацией неграмотных! Ну, и поделом. Орфографические ошибки в вашем тексте могут заставить читающего задуматься о вашей компетентности и общем состоянии интеллекта.
Почему мы путаем эти суффиксы?
Потому, что в разговорной речи они звучат совершенно одинаково, ибо всегда безударны, а гласная в них – так называемая нейтральная «шва» /?/. Однако есть несколько простых правил, которые помогут вам выбрать: a или e, вместо того, чтобы каждый раз рыться в словаре.
—ance или –ence?
Эти суффиксы образуют существительные и обозначают качество или состояние (e.g. ignorance) или действие (e.g. emergence). Их написание в большинстве случаев зависит от слов, от которых они образованы.
—ance
1. Если существительное образовано от глагола, заканчивающегося на —y, —ure, или –ear, то к нему прибавляется суффикс –ance. Например, apply – appliance; assure – assurance; appear – appearance.
2. Если существительное происходит от глагола, оканчивающегося на –ate, то оно в большинстве случаев приобретает суффикс –ance: deviate – deviance; hesitate – hesitance etc.
3. Если корень слова заканчивается на c (звучащую как/k/ как в слове cab) или g (/g/ как в слове get), то используется суффикс –ance: significance; elegance.
4. Что касается остальных случаев употребления –ance, то они не подлежат никаким правилам, и их легче просто запомнить. Например, abundance, guidance, resistance, resemblance и пр.
—ence
1. Если существительное образовано от глагола, заканчивающегося на –ere, то к нему прибавляется суффикс —ence. Например, adhere – adherence, interfere – interference. Я уже слышу, как вы спрашиваете меня негодуя: почему же perseverance пишется с –ance, если оно образовано от persevere? Это исключение, смиритесь с этим.
2. Если существительное происходит от глагола, оканчивающегося на ударный суффикс –er, то оно приобретает суффикс –ence: confer – conference; prefer – preference, transfer – transference etc.
Обратите внимание на то, что difference пишется с –ence несмотря на то, что в глаголе differ ударение падает на первый слог.
3. Если в слове присутствуют –cid-, -fid-, -sid- или –vid-, стоящие прямо перед конечным суффиксом, то этим конечным суффиксом будет –ence. Например: confidence, evidence, residence.
4. Если корень слова заканчивается на c (/s/ как в слове cell) или g (/dg/ как в слове gin), то используется суффикс –ence: indulgence, licence. Тут не обойтись без исключений, как например: vengeance.
5. И опять же некоторые слова не подчиняются никаким правилам, и их нужно просто запомнить: absence, excellence, patience, sentence и т.д.
—ancy или –ency?
При помощи этих суффиксов образуются существительные, обозначающие качество или состояние. Например, infancy или fluency.
Правила правописания такие же как и у –ance/-ence. Например:
- Если существительное происходит от глагола, оканчивающегося на –ate, то оно приобретет суффикс –ance: hesitate — hesitancy; vacate – vacancy.
- Если корень слова заканчивается на c (/s/ как в слове cell) или g (/dg/ как в слове gin), то используется суффикс –ence: urgency, emergency.
- И т.д.
-ant или –ent?
Суффиксы -ant и –ent используются для образования:
— прилагательных, обозначающих качество или состояние: arrogant, convenient, different etc.
— существительные, обозначающие исполнителя действия, то есть агента: accountant, resident etc.
Действуют те же правила, например:
- Слова, образованные от глагола, заканчивающегося на —y, прибавляют к себе суффикс –ant. Например, defy – defiant; occupy – occupant.
- Слова, образованные от глагола, заканчивающегося на –ate, приобретают суффикс –ant: deviate – deviant; hesitate – hesitant etc.
- Если слово происходит от глагола, оканчивающегося на –ere, к нему прибавляется суффикс –ent: cohere – coherent; adhere – adherent.
- Кроме того, действует то же правило с c и g: если они произносятся как /k/ и /g/, то используется –ant, например: communicant, extravagant; если же они произносятся как /s/ и /dg/, то будет использоваться суффикс -ent, например: intelligent, recent etc.
- И т.д.
Dependent/dependant и pendant/pendent
Написание данных прилагательных зависит от части речи, к которым они принадлежат.
Начнем с dependent/dependant:
- В британском английском существительное может писаться как с суффиксом –ent, так и с суффиксом –ant: He is a single man with no dependents/ dependants. В американском английском верен только вариант dependent.
- Если речь идет о прилагательном, то в обеих вариантах языка правильно будет написание dependent (We’re dependent on his goodwill). Заметьте: independent всегда пишется с суффиксом –ent, будь оно существительным или прилагательным.
Ситуация с pendant/pendent немного проще. Pendant может быть и прилагательным и существительным (She wore a silver pendant; pendant catkins), в то время как pendent – это только прилагательное (pendent catkins).
Согласна, что на первый взгляд кажется, что легче каждый раз проверять или просто выучить написание слов, чем применять эти правила. Но это не так. Правила, относящиеся к одной паре суффиксов, например, -ence и –ance, действуют и с остальными, и это значительно облегчает нашу задачу. Так, будучи уверенным в написании competence, вы не ошибетесь в competent и competency.
Соблюдайте правила! Но и не бойтесь экспериментировать.
© Ландыш
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English -ant, -aunt, partly from Old French -ant, from Latin -āns; and partly (in adjectival derivations) continuing Middle English -ant, a variant of -and, -end, from Old English -ende (present participle ending), see -and.
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- (now sciences, chiefly medicine) The agent noun derived from verb.
- serve → servant
- An adjective corresponding to a noun in -ance, having the sense of «exhibiting (the condition or process described by the noun)».
- An adjective derived from a verb, having the senses of: (a) «doing (the verbal action)», and/or (b) «prone/tending to do (the verbal action)».
- ascend → ascendant
- err → errant.
- Alternative form of -and
- blatant, blicant; flippant
Usage notes[edit]
- Many words in -ant were not actually coined in English but rather borrowed directly from Old French, Middle French or Modern French.
Derived terms[edit]
[edit]
- -ance
Anagrams[edit]
- NAT, NTA, Nat, Nat., TAN, TNA, Tan, nat, tan
Dutch[edit]
Etymology[edit]
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ɑnt/
Suffix[edit]
-ant m (plural -anten, feminine -ante)
- appended to the stem of a verb, it yields a noun which signifies the subject who performs the action of that verb (see agent noun)
Derived terms[edit]
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Old French -ant, from Latin -āns, -ēns. Compare Italian -ante, -ente, Spanish -ante, -ente, -iente.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ɑ̃/
Suffix[edit]
-ant (invariable)
- -ing; suffix denoting the gerund and present participle of a verb
- jouer (“to play”) + -ant → jouant (“playing”)
Suffix[edit]
-ant (feminine -ante, masculine plural -ants, feminine plural -antes)
- -ant, -ing; forms adjectives out of verbs
- (rare) forms adjectives from words other than verbs
- abracadabra + -ant → abracadabrant
Suffix[edit]
-ant m (plural -ants, feminine -ante)
- -er; forms nouns out of verbs
Usage notes[edit]
- French present participles are used, chiefly in literary style, to replace relative clauses. In this case they are not inflected for number and gender: une femme aimant ses enfants (“a woman loving her children”), equivalent to une femme qui aime ses enfants (“a woman who loves her children”).
- Some present participles can also be used as actual adjectives. In this case they are inflected: une femme aimante (“a loving/caring woman”). This adjectival use is lexicalised, however, which means that it is common only for certain participles, not all (unlike English).
[edit]
- -amment
- -ance
German[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle High German -ant, from Old French -ant; and also directly from Latin -antis, -ans.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ant/
Suffix[edit]
-ant m (weak, genitive -anten, plural -anten, feminine -antin)
- Forms agent nouns, mostly from verbs of Romance or Latin origin.
- liefern (“to supply”) + -ant → Lieferant (“supplier”)
Usage notes[edit]
- This ending is semi-productive, see e.g. Asylant, Antifant.
- This ending rarely also occurs in the neuter gender, see e.g. Antiozonant.
Declension[edit]
Declension of -ant [masculine, weak]
Derived terms[edit]
[edit]
- -ans (rare, unproductive synonym from the same source)
Further reading[edit]
- “-ant” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “-ant” in Duden online
Hungarian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
-a- (“linking vowel”) + -n (“instantaneous suffix”) + -t (“causative suffix”)[1]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): [ɒnt]
- Rhymes: -ɒnt
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- (instantaneous suffix) Added to a stem — often an onomatopoeia — to form a verb expressing an instantaneous action.
- pillant (“to glance”)
Usage notes[edit]
- (instantaneous suffix) Harmonic variants:
- -ant is added to back vowel words
- -ent is added to front vowel words
Derived terms[edit]
See also[edit]
- -int
- Appendix:Hungarian suffixes
References[edit]
- ^ -ant in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN. (See also its 2nd edition.)
Latin[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Proto-Italic *-ānt, from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yónti.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ant/, [än̪t̪]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ant/, [än̪t̪]
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- third-person plural present active indicative of -ō (first conjugation)
Descendants[edit]
- Old Galician-Portuguese: -an
- Galician: -an
- Portuguese: -am
- Spanish: -an
Middle French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- used to form the present participle of verbs
Old French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Latin -āns, -ēns.
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- used to form the present participle of verbs
[edit]
- -ance/-anche
Descendants[edit]
- English: -ant
- French: -ant
Polish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from French -ant, from Old French -ant, from Latin -āns, -ēns.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ant/
- Rhymes: -ant
- Syllabification: ant
Suffix[edit]
-ant m pers
- -ant (agent noun derived from verb)
- kurs + -ant → kursant
Declension[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- -ant in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- -ant in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Welsh[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ant/
Etymology 1[edit]
Cognate with Cornish -ans.
Alternative forms[edit]
- -iant
Suffix[edit]
-ant m (plural -annau)
- show the action of a verb or its result, -tion, -ment
- maddau (“to forgive”) + -ant → maddeuant (“forgiveness”)
Etymology 2[edit]
Suffix[edit]
-ant
- (literary) verb suffix for the third-person plural present indicative/future
Derived terms[edit]
Category Welsh terms suffixed with -ant not found
The suffixes “-ant” and “-ent” are both used to form nouns of agency (persons or things who perform an action) and adjectives that describe a state or quality. They both derive from the conjugations of Latin and French verbs; in some cases, they seem to “attach” to existing base words (e.g., accountant, persistent), while other times they are adjacent to roots that could not exist on their own (brilliant, resilient).
The suffixes “-ant” and “-ent” are especially confusing because they are both common, have similar spellings, and are (usually) pronounced the exact same way (/ənt/). For words naturally ending in “-ant” or “-ent,” there are no real clues to help us determine which ending is correct (beyond knowing the word’s etymology); we just have to memorize them or check a dictionary to be sure. When “-ant” and “-ent” attach to existing base words, though, there are a few conventions we can follow to choose the correct one.
Finally, it’s important to note that the conventions in this section are not intended to describe when a certain base or root word can take “-ant” or “-ent”; they are merely meant to help you decide which ending to use when you know that a word ends in one of the two.
Rules for words ending in “-ant”
Rule 1: Use “-ant” with verbs ending in “-ate”
Verbs that end in “-ate” can often be made into nouns of agency or, less commonly, adjectives by adding the suffix “-ant.” Note that this suffix completely replaces “-ate”. For example:
- accelerate→accelerant
- adulterate→adulterant
- anticipate→anticipant
- celebrate→celebrant
- communicate→communicant
- contaminate→contaminant
- desiccate→desiccant
- deviate→deviant
- dominate→dominant
- emigrate→emigrant
- exfoliate→exfoliant
- hesitate→hesitant
- immigrate→immigrant
- intoxicate→intoxicant
- irritate→irritant
- lubricate→lubricant
- migrate→migrant
- mutate→mutant
- officiate→officiant
- radiate→radiant
- stagnate→stagnant
- stimulate→stimulant
- tolerate→tolerant
- vacate→vacant
Rule 2: Use “-ant” with verbs ending in silent E
In addition to verbs ending in “-ate,” the “-ant” ending will usually attach to verbs ending in other consonants + silent E. Unlike “-ate,” though, “-ant” only replaces the silent E in these examples. For instance:
- aspire→aspirant
- confide→confidant*
- convulse→convulsant (used in the term anticonvulsant)
- determine→determinant
- dispute→disputant
- inhale→inhalant
- insure→insurant
- exhale→exhalant
- grieve→grievant
- observe→observant
- perspire→perspirant (used in the term antiperspirant)
- serve→servant
(*Not to be confused with confident; we’ll talk about how to remember the difference a little further on.)
Note that there are a few exceptions to this rule. First, three verbs ending in “-ide” will take the “-ent” suffix instead:
- preside→president
- provide→provident
- reside→resident
Also, silent E can be used to dictate that final C and G take the “soft” pronunciation (/s/ and /ʤ/, respectively), as in coalesce or emerge. As we’ll see further on, soft C and G are always followed by “-ent” rather than “-ant” (e.g., coalescent and emergent).
Rule 3: Use “-ant” with words ending in “-y”
Words ending in “-y” commonly take the related suffix “-ance,” which exclusively forms nouns, but only a few will take “-ant” (usually to form adjectives). In nearly all of these, Y changes to I. For example:
- comply→compliant
- defy→defiant
- luxury→luxuriant
- rely→reliant
- vary→variant
Uniquely, the Y in the verb occupy does not change to I; it is simply omitted:
- occupy→occupant
One exception to this rule is the verb study, which has the associated noun of agency student.
Rule 4: Use “-ant” if it comes after “-ct-” or “-lt-”
If a stem or base word ends in the consonant cluster “-ct-” or (less commonly) “-lt-,” the ending will always be spelled “-ant.” For example:
CT + “-ant” |
LT + “-ant” |
---|---|
attractant disinfectant expectant humectant injectant octant protectant reactant reluctant surfactant |
consultant exultant resultant |
Rule 5: Use “-ant” if it comes after “-or-”
If the last letters of the stem or root are “-or-,” the word will always end in the suffix “-ant”:
- colorant
- corroborant
- deodorant
- expectorant
- ignorant
- odorant
- roborant
- sonorant
Rule 6: Use “-ant” if it follows a hard C or G
If a stem or base word ends in a “hard C” (the /k/ sound) or a “hard G” (the /g/ sound), the ending will always be spelled “-ant.” For example:
Hard C + “-ant” |
Hard G + “-ant” |
---|---|
applicant communicant desiccant mendicant significant vacant |
arrogant congregant elegant extravagant fumigant litigant segregant |
(Many of these examples also fall under the “-ate” rule as well.)
This is also true when a hard G is followed by N or R:
GN + “-ant” |
GR + “-ant” |
---|---|
benignant indignant malignant poignant pregnant regnant repugnant stagnant |
conflagrant emigrant flagrant fragrant migrant vagrant |
Rules for words ending in “-ent”
Rule 1: Use “-ent” if it follows a soft C or G
We saw already that words will take the “-ant” ending if it is preceded by a “hard C” (/k/) or a “hard G” (/g/). If the stem or base word ends in a “soft C” (/s/) or a “soft G” (/ʤ/), however, it will be followed by the “-ent” suffix or ending. For instance:
Soft C + “-ent” |
Soft G + “-ent” |
---|---|
ascent acquiescent adjacent complacent decent innocent luminescent magnificent quiescent reminiscent reticent translucent |
astringent contingent convergent diligent divergent emergent indulgent intelligent negligent stringent tangent urgent |
There are a few exceptions to this, though:
- pageant (/ˈpædʒənt/)
- sergeant (/ˈsɑrdʒənt/)
Rule 2: Use “-ent” with verbs ending in “-er” or “-ere”
ER + -ent |
ERE + -ent |
---|---|
defer→deferent deter→deterrent differ→different refer→referent |
adhere→adherent cohere→coherent inhere→inherent revere→reverent |
There is one exception to this, though it is uncommon in everyday speech or writing:
- alter→alterant
Rule 3: Use “-ent” if it follows “-id-”
If the root word ends in “-id-,” it is much more likely that the suffix will be “-ent” rather than “-ant.” For example:
- accident
- confident
- diffident
- dissident
- evident
- incident
- occident
- strident
- trident
As we said earlier, there are three verbs ending in “-ide” that are also associated with the “-ent” ending:
- preside→president
- provide→provident
- reside→resident
Finally, there are two exceptions in which “-id-” is followed by “-ant” instead: confidant (which we saw earlier) and oxidant. We can remember confidant (as opposed to confident) because it is pronounced with a secondary stress on -dant (/ˈkɑnfɪˌdɑnt/ or /ˈkɑnfɪˌdænt/), so the A sound is now distinctly audible. And we can remember the spelling of oxidant because it is something that causes oxidation.
Rule 4: Use “-ent” if it follows “-u-”
While there are a few words in which “-ant” follows “-u-,” it is much more likely for the ending to be “-ent.” For instance:
- affluent
- confluent
- congruent
- constituent
- delinquent
- eloquent
- fluent
- frequent
- grandiloquent
- mellifluent
- sequent
- subsequent
- unguent
As we said, though, there are a few words that do end in “-uant”:
- continuant
- evacuant
- fluctuant
- piquant
- pursuant
- truant
Words that can take either “-ant” or “-ent”
To make matters even more complicated, there are a few words that can take either spelling. For some of these examples, one spelling is simply a less-common variant version of the other. However, in a few instances, the meaning of the word will determine which spelling is appropriate.
Variant spellings
In these examples, both spellings are considered correct, but one is much more common and is thus preferred over the other:
Preferred spelling |
Variant spelling |
---|---|
ascendant |
ascendent |
propellant |
propellent |
repellent |
repellant |
Spelling determined by meaning
With these pairs of words, one particular spelling is more commonly associated with the word’s meaning as a noun, while the other is associated with its meaning as an adjective.
Noun |
Adjective |
---|---|
dependant (especially in British English; more commonly dependent in American English) |
dependent (never spelled dependant as an adjective) |
descendant (never spelled descendent as a noun) |
descendent (can be spelled descendant as an adjective, but this is an uncommon variant) |
pendant (can be spelled pendent as a noun, but this is an uncommon variant) |
pendent (can be spelled pendant as an adjective, but this is an uncommon variant) |
Remember, the word independent is an adjective, so, like the adjective dependent, it is always spelled with “-ent.”
Words that we have to learn
While there are a few helpful conventions and spelling patterns we can follow to help us know whether a word takes the “-ant” or “-ent” ending, there are quite a few words we just have to memorize.
Words ending “-ant” |
Words ending “-ent” |
---|---|
abundant acceptant accordant accountant adamant affiant allegiant ascendant aspirant assailant assonant attendant blatant brilliant buoyant claimant clairvoyant cognizant combatant concordant consonant coolant covenant currant defendant depressant dissonant dormant elephant enchant entrant errant exorbitant extant exuberant flagrant flamboyant flippant gallant gallivant hydrant important incessant infant informant inhabitant insouciant jubilant merchant militant miscreant nonchalant obeisant peasant pedant penchant petulant pleasant pliant pollutant rampant redundant relaxant relevant remnant repentant restaurant retardant sealant sibilant somnambulant tenant tremulant trenchant triumphant valiant verdant vibrant vigilant |
absorbent abstinent adsorbent antecedent apparent belligerent benevolent competent consistent convenient correspondent current decadent deficient dependent despondent efficient eminent equivalent excellent excipient existent expedient fervent flatulent fluent fraudulent immanent imminent inadvertent inclement incumbent independent insistent insolent insolvent intelligent intermittent lenient malevolent negligent obedient omnipotent omniscient opponent opulent patient penitent permanent persistent pertinent precedent prescient prevalent proficient prominent proponent prudent recipient recurrent redolent remittent repellent resilient resplendent respondent salient sapient sentient solvent student subservient sufficient transcendent transient transparent turbulent violent virulent |
Chapter Sub-sections
- Commonly Confused Suffixes: -ance and -ancy vs. -ence and -ency