suffers
|suf-fers|
🇺🇸
/ˈsʌfər/
🇬🇧
/ˈsʌfə/
(suffer)
endure pain
Etymology
'suffer' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'sufferre', where the prefix 'sub-' meant 'under' and 'ferre' meant 'to bear or carry'.
'sufferre' passed into Old French as 'suffrir' and into Middle English as 'suffren'/'suffren' and eventually became the modern English 'suffer'.
Initially, it meant 'to bear up under' (literally 'to carry under'), and over time it evolved to the broader sense 'to experience pain, hardship, or adverse effects', which is the current main meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'sufferer' — people who suffer or have suffered (used to refer collectively to those experiencing hardship).
The report documented the suffers of the disaster-stricken region.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 1
third-person singular present form of 'suffer' — to experience pain, distress, loss, or hardship; to be affected by (something bad).
She suffers from chronic back pain and cannot sit for long.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/09/03 21:57