What this suffix does
-read describes how much someone has read: well-read, poorly-read.
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Suffix · forms adjectives
-read
Describes how much someone has read: well-read (widely and deeply read) versus poorly-read (having read little).
In Spanish: de amplia lectura / leído / cultoIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adverb + read.
- well + readwell-read (widely and deeply read)
- widely + readwidely-read
- poorly + readpoorly-read (having read little)
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.
How it is pronounced
-read
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -read
In a phrase
- wellwell-readShe's very well-read, she seems to have an opinion on every book.
- widelywidely-readHe's widely-read across many different subjects.
- broadlybroadly-readA broadly-read student usually writes better essays.
- poorlypoorly-readHe admitted he was poorly-read in classic literature.
- deeplydeeply-readShe's deeply-read in philosophy, especially the Greeks.
Common mistakes
well-read = having read recently or quickly
well-read = having read widely and deeply, with the formation that implies
"Well-read" describes the breadth and depth of reading over time — it is a quality of intellectual formation rather than a measure of recent activity. You cannot become well-read in a week. It implies a sustained, wide, and thoughtful engagement with literature, history, ideas, or a specific field, accumulated over years.
widely-read and well-read are identical
widely-read emphasises breadth; well-read emphasises quality and formation
"Widely-read" emphasises the breadth of reading across many subjects, authors, or traditions. "Well-read" emphasises both breadth and quality of reading — not just that the person has read a lot but that what they have read has formed and developed their thinking. The distinction is subtle but real: a person can be widely-read (having read many things) without being well-read (having been formed by the reading).
A trick to remember it
well-read literally means "well read", from the verb "read" in its participle form. Someone well-read has simply "read well and widely".
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"poorly-read" describes someone who...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -read mean in English?
The suffix -read describes how much someone has read: well-read (widely and deeply read) versus poorly-read (having read little). In Spanish it usually maps to de amplia lectura / leído / culto.
Can you give an example of a word with -read?
"well" becomes "well-read". It is a typical example of the -read suffix.
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