Suffix · forms adjectives
Describes the kind of edge something has, literal or figurative: double-edged (cuts both ways) and sharp-edged (sharp, cutting).
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
-edged forms compound adjectives with two main uses. Literally, it describes the edge of a blade or object: sharp-edged, razor-edged, jagged-edged. Figuratively, it describes things that cut in both directions or have a dangerous quality: double-edged, hard-edged, cutting-edged. The most powerful -edged compound in English is "double-edged," which describes any situation, weapon, or argument that can harm both sides or has two contradictory effects.
Adjective + edged.
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
-edged
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
The figurative meaning of "double-edged" is now far more common than the literal one. A "double-edged sword" — the full idiom — refers to something that is both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. "That policy is a double-edged sword: it reduces crime but increases surveillance." This is one of the most used idioms in English political and economic commentary.
"Cutting-edge" (without -d) is the established compound for "at the forefront of innovation." You would say "cutting-edge technology," not "cutting-edged technology." The -edged form exists for other uses (sharp-edged, razor-edged) but the innovation compound is always "cutting-edge."
A trick to remember it
"Double-edged" is one of the most important compound adjectives in English for describing complex situations with contradictory outcomes. Any time something has both a benefit and a risk, a gain and a loss, a praise and a criticism — it is double-edged. The sword metaphor works because a blade sharp on both sides can cut both the enemy and the wielder. Master this single compound and you will use it constantly in essays, debates, and analysis.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"Her razor-edged wit left the audience both laughing and slightly uncomfortable." What does "razor-edged" suggest here?
Exercise 3 · Form the word
The suffix -edged describes the kind of edge something has, literal or figurative: double-edged (cuts both ways) and sharp-edged (sharp, cutting). In Spanish it usually maps to de filo / de borde.
"double" becomes "double-edged". It is a typical example of the -edged suffix.
Describes how someone acts or uses their hands: heavy-handed (harsh, lacking tact) and even-handed (fair, impartial).
Describes someone's tone or style of speaking: soft-spoken (speaking gently) and outspoken (speaking one's mind bluntly).
Describes how quickly someone thinks: quick-witted (sharp, fast-thinking) versus dim-witted (slow, not very sharp).
-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.