What this suffix does
-spirited describes someone's type of energy or attitude: high-spirited, low-spirited, free-spirited, mean-spirited (unkind, malicious).
ESEN
Suffix · forms adjectives
-spirited
Describes someone's energy or attitude: high-spirited (lively, energetic) and free-spirited (unconventional, independent).
In Spanish: de espíritu / de ánimoIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adjective + spirited.
- high + spiritedhigh-spirited (lively, energetic)
- free + spiritedfree-spirited (unconventional, independent)
- mean + spiritedmean-spirited (unkind, malicious)
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
-spirited
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -spirited
In a phrase
- highhigh-spiritedThe high-spirited puppy ran circles around the yard.
- freefree-spiritedShe's free-spirited and loves to travel without a plan.
- meanmean-spiritedThat comment was mean-spirited and unnecessary.
- publicpublic-spiritedHe's very public-spirited, always volunteering for local causes.
- lowlow-spiritedShe seemed low-spirited after the disappointing news.
Common mistakes
high-spirited = arrogant or self-important
high-spirited = lively, enthusiastic, and full of energy
"High-spirited" describes someone who is lively, energetic, and enthusiastic — often used of children, horses, and vigorous adults. It does not imply arrogance or pretension. The "high" refers to the level of energy and vitality, not to social status or self-regard. A high-spirited person is enjoyable to be around; an arrogant person is not.
mean-spirited = meaning stingy/miserly
mean-spirited = petty, unkind, and motivated by small-minded malice
"Mean-spirited" captures a specific kind of pettiness: not just unkind but actively motivated by a desire to diminish, hurt, or belittle others in small ways. It is stronger than just "mean" because the "spirited" element implies this is a fundamental disposition of the person's character, not a momentary lapse. It is almost always used in criticism.
A trick to remember it
"Spirited" comes from "spirit" (energy, verve). Picture an energy gauge: high-SPIRITED = the gauge maxed out. mean-SPIRITED = the spirit is twisted, ill-intentioned.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"mean-spirited" describes a comment that is...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -spirited mean in English?
The suffix -spirited describes someone's energy or attitude: high-spirited (lively, energetic) and free-spirited (unconventional, independent). In Spanish it usually maps to de espíritu / de ánimo.
Can you give an example of a word with -spirited?
"high" becomes "high-spirited". It is a typical example of the -spirited suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-hearted
Describes someone's emotional character: warmhearted (kind, affectionate) and coldhearted (unfeeling, unkind).
-minded
Describes someone's way of thinking: open-minded (accepting of new ideas) versus narrow-minded (closed off, intolerant).
-willed
Describes how strong someone's willpower is: strong-willed (determined) versus weak-willed (easily swayed).
Learn every English suffix
-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.