Here are some common meanings:
1. Relating to or characteristic of:
* This is the most common meaning of "-al". It often indicates an adjective that describes something related to a noun.
* Examples:
* National: relating to a nation
* Musical: relating to music
* Seasonal: relating to a season
* Historical: relating to history
2. Action or process:
* "-al" can indicate an action or process, often associated with verbs.
* Examples:
* Arrival: the act of arriving
* Referral: the act of referring
* Withdrawal: the act of withdrawing
3. State or condition:
* "-al" can indicate a state or condition, usually describing a state of being.
* Examples:
* Normal: a usual or expected state
* Fatal: a state of being deadly
* Criminal: a state of being guilty of a crime
4. Derived from:
* "-al" can indicate that something is derived from something else.
* Examples:
* Alcohol: derived from alcohol
* Mineral: derived from a mineral
It's important to note that the specific meaning of "-al" will depend on the specific word it is attached to.
Let me know if you'd like to explore specific examples of words with the "-al" suffix!