Suffix · forms nouns
Names recording techniques or disciplines: photo + graphy = photography.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
The suffix -graphy (from Greek "graphein", to write/record) names techniques, disciplines or recording processes. From "photo" (light) you get "photography"; from "geo" (earth) you get "geography"; from "calli" (beautiful) you get "calligraphy". -graph (without -y) names the instrument or concrete result: "photograph" is the actual photo; "photography" is the technique or art of taking photos.
English and Spanish share the same Greek root: photography = fotografía geography = geografía biography = biografía calligraphy = caligrafía Only the ending changes: -grafía → -graphy. If you know the Spanish term, you already know the English.
From "photography" come four related words: photography = the technique photograph = the photo (or shortened to: photo) photographer = the professional photographic = the adjective The same structure applies to geography (geographer, geographical), biography (biographer, biographical), etc.
Greek root + graphy (discipline/technique) or + graph (instrument/result).
When the root ends in a vowel, that vowel may remain as a linking vowel: photo + graphy = photography (the -o of photo stays as the linking vowel).
-graphy / -graph/ɡræfi/ · sounds like 'GRAF-ee'
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
photography = photo + graphy. The root is -graphy, not -grafy or -grafhy.
"photograph" is the concrete image. "photography" is the art/technique. "She studies photography." "She took a photograph."
geography = geo + graphy. "geografy" does not exist.
A trick to remember it
-graphy = the discipline or technique; -graph = the image or instrument; -grapher = the person. photography / photograph / photographer: three words, one root.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the difference between "photograph" and "photography"?
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
The person who studies geography is a...
The suffix -graphy / -graph names recording techniques or disciplines: photo + graphy = photography. In Spanish it usually maps to -grafía / -grafo.
The ending -graphy / -graph is pronounced /ɡræfi/ · sounds like 'GRAF-ee'. For example, "photography".
"photo" becomes "photography". It is a typical example of the -graphy / -graph suffix.
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