Suffix: ée

Type of suffix: nominal, verbal

Gender of words with suffix: usually feminine

The French suffix ée can be added to nouns or verbs to make new nouns and has a number of possible meanings.

1. A ___ful of something

   une bouchée - mouthful
   (from une bouche - mouth)

   une cuillerée - spoonful
   (from une cuillère - spoon)

   une poignée - handful, fistful
   (from un poing - fist)


2. Group or collective

   la feuillée (archaic) - foliage
   (from la feuille - leaf)

   une maisonnée - household, family
   (from une maison - house)


3. Purpose or result of an action

   une couvée - brood, clutch
   (from couver - to hatch)

   une donnée - datum, piece of information
   (from donner - to give)

   la poussée - pressure, pushing, thrust
   (from pousser - to push)


4. Location

   une allée - avenue, walk, path
   (from aller - to go)

   une entrée - entrance
   (from entrer - to enter)


5. Period of time (learn more)

   une année - year
   (from un an)

   une journée - day
   (from un jour)


6. Plant name

   une cactée, une cactacée - cactus

   une centaurée - centaury

   une giroflée - wallflower


Note that the French suffix -ée is also the feminine singular form of the past participle of -er verbs:

   Elle est allée à l'école - She went to school.

   Elle est très respectée - She is well respected.


Spelling notes:
  • When the suffix -ée is added to a verb, the infinitive ending is removed first: aller > allée.
     
  • The final e of a word is dropped before adding the suffix: bouche > bouchée.