What does the -ed in hiked do to meaning of root word?

The "-ed" in "hiked" changes the meaning of the root word "hike" in a couple of ways:

1. Tense: It turns the verb "hike" from present tense to past tense. This indicates that the action of hiking has already happened.

2. Grammatical Function: It marks the verb as a past participle. This means it can be used in various grammatical constructions:

* Simple past tense: "I hiked to the top of the mountain."

* Present perfect tense: "I have hiked that trail many times."

* Passive voice: "The trail was hiked by many people."

* Adjective: "I'm wearing my hiked-in boots."

So, the "-ed" suffix creates a past tense verb that can be used in various ways, allowing us to describe past actions and events related to hiking.