Suffix -friendly

The Suffix -friendly in English (Meaning, Use & 18 Real Examples)

In English, we love to make new words.

One of the easiest and most productive ways to do this is by using suffixes — small endings we add to words to create new meanings. One of the most useful and modern suffixes is:

-friendly

You probably already know the adjective friendly:

a friendly person = kind, pleasant, easy to talk to

But when -friendly is added to a noun, it usually means:

• suitable for
• easy or safe for
• not harmful to

For example:

child-friendly = suitable for children

eco-friendly = not harmful to the environment

user-friendly = easy to use

In this lesson, you’ll learn 18 very common and useful words with the suffix -friendly, all with clear meanings and natural examples. These are perfect for B1–C1 learners, writing tasks, articles, and real-life English.

Environment & nature

Eco-friendly / Environmentally friendly

Meaning: not harmful to the environment.

• More and more people choose eco-friendly products instead of plastic ones.
• The magazine is printed on environmentally friendly paper.

Ozone-friendly

Meaning: not damaging to the ozone layer.

• This ozone-friendly spray is much safer for the environment.

Animal-friendly

Meaning: not tested on animals; cruelty-free.

I always choose animal-friendly companies when buying cosmetics.

Family, children & everyday life

Child-friendly

Meaning: safe and suitable for children.

The hotel has many child-friendly areas where kids can play safely.

Family-friendly

Meaning: suitable for families, especially with children.

They opened a family-friendly hotel in the mountains.

Parent-friendly

Meaning: convenient and helpful for parents.

The resort is very parent-friendly, with babysitters and play areas.

Pet-friendly

Meaning: a place where you can take your pet.

We’re staying in a pet-friendly hotel in Italy this summer.

Technology, learning & communication

User-friendly

Meaning: easy to understand and use.

Modern apps are much more user-friendly than they used to be.

Learner-friendly

Meaning: designed to be easy for learners to use and understand.

The course book is very learner-friendly and clearly organised.

Reader-friendly

Meaning: easy to read and understand.

The article is short, clear, and very reader-friendly.

Printer-friendly

Meaning: formatted so it is easy and convenient to print.

This website has a printer-friendly version of every article.

Business, money & services

Business-friendly / Company-friendly

Meaning: suitable for businesses; supportive of business activity.

The government wants to create a more business-friendly environment.

Cyprus is considered a company-friendly country for taxation.

Market-friendly

Meaning: suitable for the free market and business activity.

They are trying to introduce more market-friendly reforms.

Consumer-friendly / Customer-friendly

Meaning: good and convenient for people who buy or use something.

The instructions are written in a very consumer-friendly way.

IKEA has a new customer-friendly app for shopping.

Diet-friendly

Meaning: suitable for people who are on a diet.

This recipe is both diet-friendly and delicious.

How to use -friendly (simple rule)

noun + friendly = suitable / safe / easy / not harmful for

child → child-friendly

user → user-friendly

environment → environmentally friendly

And yes — English happily keeps inventing new, friendly words all the time.

The suffix -friendly is extremely productive, modern, and useful. Once you understand the idea, you can understand and create dozens of new words naturally — and that’s exactly how real English grows.

In other words:

This suffix is very learner-friendly. 😉

Follow the link to learn the nouns using the suffix -SHIP

Follow the link to learn about the words using the suffix -WISE