A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or function. In this question, we need to find the correct suffix to add to the word 'violin' to denote the person who plays it.

Suffix Analysis for Violin

Let's examine the given options:

• Option 1: -am - Adding '-am' to 'violin' results in 'violiam', which is not a recognized English word, especially one related to playing the instrument.
• Option 2: -en - Adding '-en' might create words like 'violin-en', but this suffix typically forms verbs (like 'lessen') or adjectives indicating material (like 'wooden'). It doesn't fit the context of a person playing an instrument.
• Option 3: -ist - Adding '-ist' to 'violin' forms the word 'violinist'. This suffix is commonly used to denote a person who plays a musical instrument (e.g., pianist, guitarist) or practices a particular art or field (e.g., artist, scientist, socialist). Therefore, a 'violinist' is someone who plays the violin.
• Option 4: -ty - Adding '-ty' typically forms abstract nouns indicating a state or quality (e.g., safety, loyalty). 'Violin-ty' is not a standard English word.

Correct Suffix Formation

Based on the analysis, the suffix '-ist' correctly forms the word 'violinist', which refers to a person who plays the violin. This aligns with common English word-building patterns for musical professions.