A LIST OF SUFFIXES

SUFFIXES that, like -craft (handicraft) and -fold (manifold), are in fact ordinary words forming what were originally compounds and are therefore proper words (craft, fold) have been omitted. But such borderline cases as -dom (cf DOOM) are noted here: their inclusion is demanded by common sense.

For the sake of convenience the two most important connective elements -i-and -o, as in curv-i- form and the-o-logy, are included.

-a

(1), disguised interjection of extremely vague expletive or intensive force, as in Shakespeare’s ‘A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad tires in a mile-a’ (Webster). Cf the -o in all-aliv(e)o: see -o, disguised interjection.

-a

(2), illiterate for of, as in ‘A coupla days’ or ‘kinda cute’, mostly American, and as in cuppa, elliptical for ‘cup of tea’, orig Australian.

-a

(3), a jocular convention for representing, often quite inaccurately, the speech of an uneducated Italian speaking English. Such an Italian does tend to say ‘You likea drinka?’

-a

(4), indicating the adoption of a L f singular n, as in Minerva and formula, or of a Gr f sing n, as in Ida (Mount) and idea.

-a

(5), indicating a R f sing, as in stanza (It) and sierra (Sp).

-a

(6), in f personal names, as Anna, Augusta, Clara, Rosa, Tessa.

-a

(7), in names of continents, as Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Antarctica. Cf -ia below.

-a

(8), in pl nn of Gr and L origin, whether from a neu n or from a neu adj used as a n: as in Gr automata and phenomena; or in L impedimenta or realia (in L an adj used as a n).

-a

(9), in L m nn, connoting agent and corresp to Gr -ēs, as in Agricola.

-ability

. See -bility.

-able

. See 1st -ble.

-ac

, adj—hence in nn. Sometimes direct from Gr -akos, more often via L -acus, occ via F - aque (usu from L); quite often the L adj has merely been formed anl with Gr. Exx: demoniac, from LL daemoniacus; elegiac, from LL elegiacus, from Gr elegeiakos;

Origins 3898

-acle

, n; -acular, adj; -aculum, n—this L form or, rather, original being often retained in E, though usu with a specialized sense, alongside the E derivative form -acle; the adjj, usu answering to no such adjj in L, have been formed on the analogy of such words as regular and, later, molecular (cf -ular below). The resemblance of L -aculum to the L dim -ulum is superficial and accidental. Exx:

receptacle, from L receptāculum (also in E); no adj.

spectacle, adopted from OF, from L spectaculum; adj spectacular. spiracle, from L spirāculum (also in E); adj spiracular.

tentacle, from ML tentāculum (also in E); adj tentacular.

All the L nouns, it will be noticed, derive from the inf s of first-conjugational vv: recept(āre)—spect(āre)—spir(āre)—tent(āre). The suffix therefore connotes either ‘that which does’ (whatever the action or process of the v may be), as in receptacle and tentacle, or ‘that which receives’ (the action or process), as in spectacle and spiracle.

-acy

has been so neatly summarized by Webster that it were fatuous to refrain from the flattery of quotation: ‘…denoting quality, state, office, etc. It is derived from various sources, esp from Latin -acia (cf -acious, -y), as in efficacy; or after Latin -atia corresponding to nouns in -atus (cf French -atie…), as in primacy; or from Greek -ateia, as in piracy; or after analogous English nouns, and even adjectives, in -ate, as in accuracy, privacy.’ Cf - cy.

-ad

(1), adv, signifies towards, in the direction of, as in dorsad, towards the back (L dorsum), and ventrad, towards the ventral (or belly, L acc uentrem, ML ventrem) side, and represents the L prep ad, towards: cf L ad dorsum, ad uentrem.

-ad

(2), n, derives from Gr -ad- (gen -ados, from nom -as), often through L -ad- (gen -adis, nom -as), and bears at least three different meanings:

(a) An aggregate of (so many) parts, as in monad, LL monas, o/s monad- (gen monadis), Gr monas, gen monados, from monos, alone (cf mono- in Combining Elements list), and in myriad, via LL myrias, o/s myriad- (gen myriadis), from Gr murias, o/s muriad-, gen muriados; also in, e.g., chiliad, decad (better known in the F form decade), dyad, hebdomad, pentad, tetrad, triad. In Chem, -ad indicates valence, as in monad, pentad, etc.

(b) A f patronymic, as in dryad, a nymph born of and intimately associated with a tree, from L dryad-, o/s of dryas, from Gr druas, o/s druad-and in naiad, a nymph born of and associated with water, L naiad-, o/s of naias, adopted from Gr. In Bot, -ad indicates the member of a group, as in cycad (from Gr kukas).

(c) In epic or burlesque epic poems, it refers to the titular subject, as in Iliad, the story of Ilion (Troy), and Columbiad (Columbia, the U.S.A.), or analogously to the titular ‘hero’ as in Adoniad (Adonis) and Dunciad (the generic dunce). Cf, therefore, the -id of

Aeneid and Thebaid.

-ad

(3). See the 2nd -ade, para (b).

-ada

A list of suffixes 3899

, as in armada (see ARMS, para 5), comes from Sp; f, it corresponds to m -ado.

-ade

(1). See the 2nd -ad, para (a).

-ade

(2) comes from F -ade, itself either from Prov or Sp or Port -ada or from It -ata, both - ada and -ata deriving from LL -āta. The three chief significations are:

(a) Act, action, as in cannonade, from F canonnade, from It cannonata, itself an -ata formation from It (from L) canna, a cane or reed.

(b) Result, consequence, product of an action, hence a thing made by a certain process. Occ spelt -ad. Exx: arcade, F from Prov arcada, from VL *arca, arch; orangeade, on analogy of lemonade (F limonade); ballad, OF balade, Prov balada from balar, from LL ballāre, to dance; salad, OF salade, Prov salada from salar, to salt, from L sal, salt.

(c) A person, a group, engaging in an activity, as in cavalcade, adopted from F, which adapted it from It cavalcata (L caballus, a nag).

-ado

, in words adopted or adapted from Sp or rarely from Port, corresponds to F -ade (q.v. at the 2nd -ade) and derives from L -ātus (n): bastinado, from Sp bastonada; bravado, for Sp bravada; desperado, adopted from Old Sp; renegado (superseded by its derivative renegade), adopted from Sp; tornado, adopted from Sp.

-ae

is a L fpl, preserved only in erudite words, esp in Sci: for instance, formulae and algae.

-age

either derives from, or is formed anl with other words derived from, OF-F -age, itself usu straight from, but occ anl with other F nn from, LL -āticum, which would seem to be a cpd suffix: -at-+-icum, n from neu of adj -icus (cf -ic below). The chief senses of the numerous words in -age, of which more than a few are hybrids, may, provided that we do not insist on the distinctions, be summarized thus:

(a) Collective or quasi-collective, as in luggage and baggage; foliage and herbage and pasturage; mileage and acreage; cordage and plumage; average and assemblage; tonnage; cellarage (passive; ‘charge’ sense belongs to (f) below); peerage.

(b) Place of action or abode, as in passage and anchorage; parsonage, orphanage, hermitage. Cf:

(c) Agent: hostage and savage.

(d) Act or process: marriage; carnage, outrage, pillage, plunderage, ravage; pilgrimage (linking with (a) above), passage (in its active sense); salvage, tillage.

(e) Result of action or process: cleavage, stoppage; wastage; breakage and damage; shrinkage; message and voyage; heritage and mortgage; ensilage and vintage; mirage and visage; badinage and persiflage and language; coinage and advantage.

(f) Cost of action, fee or charge for a specific service: cartage, carriage, freightage, porterage; poundage and postage; brokerage and demurrage; pilotage; towage and wharfage; scutage and tallage.

(g) Miscellaneously abstract, esp in nn adopted or adapted from F: courage and umbrage; bondage, vassalage, pupilage; espionage and brigandage; dotage and homage; verbiage. Several of these might go into groups (d) and (e).

-ago

Origins 3900

occurs only in a very few words adopted from L—e.g., lumbago, plantago, plumbago, virago—and it bears, often in L and occ in E, an unfavourable connotation; but L -āgō sometimes appears to connote ‘a kind of or ‘a species of’, as in the 2nd and 3rd examples.

-ai

is a Gr fpl, usu found in E in the L transliteration -ae: cf hetairai, usu in the L form hetaerae, courtesans.

-ails

. See -als.

-ain

is the Gallic shape of L -ānus (cf -an below), orig adj, hence often n, as in certain; captain (ME capitain, OF capitaine); chieftain; villain.

-air

, -aire, as in corsair, doctrinaire, millionaire, derives from F -aire, itself from L -ānus, denoting either an agent or, at the least, a person. Cf -ar, -ary, -eer, below.

-al

, adj, comes from L -ālis, belonging or appropriate to, resembling, the n implied in the adj. The E adj comes either directly from L or through F -al (occ -el); also it may occur in native formations anl with other adjj in -al. Direct: normal, L normālis, and regal, L regālis; from F, as in mural, F mural, L murālis, in royal, adopted from F, from L regālis, and as in mutual, F mutuel, but L mutuus; native formation: oral, spoken, from or-, o/s of L ōs (gen oris), the mouth. This suffix is often added to adjj in -ic, usu with a slight consequent change of sense, as in politic—political.

-al

, n (1). A suffix occurring in nn orig adjj, as oval, n from adj from F oval (f ovale) from ov-, stem of ML ovum, L ouum, egg.

-al

, n (2). This -al, which serves to form nn of action from vv, comes either from intermediary F -aille (occ -al) or direct from the L -ālia, being the neupl of adj -ālis (cf, therefore, -al, adj) but often used as a pl n—a pl n that occ became apprehended as a f sing. Exx: acquittal, perh from E ‘to acquit but perh from OF aquital (cf F acquitter); arrival, AF arrivaille—cf OF arival, bank of stream (therefore see ARRIVE); battle, ME batail, OF bataille, L battālia.

-al

, n (3), as in portal, adopted from OF (cf F portail) from ML portāle, strictly neu adj (of *portālis) from porta, gate. Here, then, the L adj used as n is sing, not pl; contrast -al, n

(2).

-al

, n (4), in several animal-names, e.g. caracal and jackal, is of Tu origin; in caracal certainly, in jackal perh, it means ‘ear’. In serval, from Port, it represents L -ālis: cf, therefore, -al, adj.

-alia

comes straight from L, where it represents a neupl, usu of an adj in -ālis; thus regalia, from L regālis, and the Phil realia, realities (lit, real things), from ML reālis, from rēs (s rē-), a thing.

Origins 3902

Most of these words are ult of L origin or have been formed as if from L; most -ence words are imm of F origin or, at the least, formation.

Cf -ant and -ent.

-and

(1); -end (1). Most nn that, of more than one syllable, end in -and, -end, derive from the L gerundives in -and-, -end-, i.e. from one of the nom sing forms: -andus, -anda, -andum, or -endus, -enda, -endum, resp m, f, neu; or from one of the pl forms: -andi, -andae, - anda, or -endi, -endae, -enda: resp m, f, neu. Exx:

deodand, ML deodandum (neu sing), lit something dandum, to be given, Deo, to God; multiplicand, L (numerus) multiplicandus (m sing), (number) to be multiplied; dividend, (via EF-F dividende from) ML dividendum, L diuidendum (neu sing), lit

something to be divided;

reverend, ML reverendus, L reuerendus (m sing), to be revered, hence used as n. Less regular are:

lavender, from ML lavanda, L lauanda (f sing)—(his intrusive r occurs also in provender;

viand(s), ML vivenda, L uiuenda (neupl). Cf -andum (-endum) below.

-and

(2); -end (2); often shortened to -nd. In errand, fiend, friend, husband, wind, and a few other native words, -(a)nd and -(e)nde and -inde represent the old suffix of the presp, - and being Scots and N, -ende being Midland, -inde Southern, and are to be compared with L -ant(em) and -ent(em). Errand, for example, derives from OE āērende, lit ‘a sending’, a message; and fiend from OE fēond, orig presp of fēon, to hate. See also -nd.

-and

(3). See -ant, n.

-andum

, -endum. The L neu sing form adopted by E and comparable to -and (1), -end (1) above. Thus: memorandum, pl memoranda, and notandum, pl notanda; addendum, pl addenda, and corrigendum, pl corrigenda.

-ane

(1), adj, as in mundane (via F, from L mundānus), is a rare variant of -an, 1 (q.v. above); it therefore means ‘belonging to, (hence) characteristic of’. In humane we have a doublet of human, a doublet arising perh because the latter reaches E through OF-F humain, the former direct from L humānus, but perh because, in early Mod E, such words were written indifferently -an or -ane.

-ane

(2), n, is a Chem suffix, as in octane. (Contrast the rare Med adj octan, occurring on the eighth day.) This -ane, arbitrarily formed, parallels Chem -ene, -ine, -one.

-ane

(3), n, is a variant of, and regarded as less correct than, -an (2), n, q.v. above.

-aneity

. See next, s.f.

-aneous

A list of suffixes 3905

L regulāris; vulgarity, from vulgāritāt-, o/s of ML vulgāritās, L uulgāritās (uulg-+-ār(i)- +-(i)tās . Cf -ari- in the entries at -arian and -arious, and likewise the important -ity below.

-arium

, as in aquarium, honorarium, vivarium, indicates either ‘(a thing) belonging to or, at the least, connected with’ or ‘a place for’ the n or v implied by the s of the word; it occurs in words adopted or, at most, adapted from L. Thus: honorarium, elliptical already in L for honorārium donum, therefore strictly the neus of the adj honorārius, the true E derivative being honorary; vivarium, ML form of the neus of uiuārius, concerned with living, or belonging to living creatures—cf aquarium, properly the neus of aquārius, watery. Cf, therefore, the next entry and also -orium.

-arius

occurs only in words adopted from L, as Aquarius, that constellation which is represented by a man emptying a vase of aqua or water. Cf -aria, -arian, -arious, -arium above.

-art

. See -ard.

-ary

(1), adj, is a variant of -ar (1), for it derives, or has been formed anl with derivations, from L -āris and therefore indicates ‘belonging to, or characteristic of, as in exemplary, from L exemplār is, consisting of exempl(um)+-āris, and in military, from F militaire, from L militāris, consisting of milit-, o/s of miles, a soldier+-āris.

-ary

(2), adj, from L -ārius (m) or -āria (f) or -ārium (neu), either direct, as in mercenary from mercenārius, or via OF -ier (as in pannier) or Mod F -aire (as in sedentary). General sense: as for -ary (1). Cf:

-ary

(3), n, connotes ‘person belonging to, or working at or in’, as actuary, from L actuārius, and notary, from L notārius, or (cf -arium) ‘thing belonging to, esp a place for’, as in vocabulary, from ML vocabulārium, a place for vocables. Cf, therefore -ary (2).

-as

indicates a Greek Proper Name or Proper adj, often adopted or adapted by L, as in Gr Aineias, L Aeneas, and Gr and L Ilias (orig an adj). The o/s is -ad-, as in Iliad-, the gen being Gr Iliados, L Iliadis. The Gr suffix -as would therefore seem to connote family or racial descent: cf Gr -is, o/s -id-.

-asia

, as in euthanasia (eu+than+-asia), is a Gr suffix, which has, in Med, been made equivalent to -asis, q.v. below. It has an occ variant—an ‘Englishing’—asy, as in the rare euthanasy. The answering adj form, though rare, is -asian, as in euthanasian.

-asian

. See prec, s.f.

-asis

, as in metasomasis, is, according to the angle from which one regards it, either a Med suffix or a Med c/f: strictly, it is a suffix, for it constitutes an extension of the important - sis, q.v. below, and is therefore also to be compared to -iasis, q.v. It was orig Gr, but in

Origins 3906

mod terms it is a SciL formation.

-asm

, as in chasm, enthusiasm, orgasm, phantasm, pleonasm, sarcasm, spasm, comes from Gr -asma (preserved in miasma and obsol phantasma) or -asmos, occ via L -asma, -asmus and F -asme. It occurs chiefly in abstract words, yet it at least appears to connote a greater activity than does the parallel and more widely used -ism, q.v. below. Exx: chasm, L chasma, Gr khasma (a Materializa-tion’ of khaos, chaos); enthusiasm, LL enthūsiasmos, Gr enthousiasmos; orgasm, F orgasme, Gr orgasmos—cf orgiasmos, whence the rare orgiasm; phantasm, ME fantasme, adopted from MF, from L phantasma, adopted from Gr, cf phantasy (and phantom) at FANCY; pleonasm, LL pleonasmus, Gr pleonas-mos; sarcasm, (perh via F sarcasme, from) LL sarcasmos, Gr sarkasmos; spasm, MF-F spasme, ML spasma, L spasmus, Gr spasmos. Adj either in -ic, as chasmic, miasmic, orgasmic, or -astic, as in orgiastic, from the Gr adj corresponding to the Gr n.

-asma

. See prec.

-ass

, -asse, are ‘disguises’ of L -ācea, the f of adj suffix -āceus (cf -aceous above), thus: cuirass, F cuirasse (a leather breastplate), It corazza, VL *coracea, adj become n, from L coriāceus, (made) of leather; crevasse, adopted from F, from OF crevace, which could, just possibly, come from VL *crepacea, but rather comes from OF crever, to break, both deriving, the former obscurely, the latter clearly, from L crepāre, my own proposal being, however, that the effective origin lies either in LL creptūra, or in ML crepātura, a crevice.

-ast

, as in scholiast, derives from Gr -astēs and is equivalent to -ist, q.v, below. Exx: enthusiast, Gr enthousiastēs, and scholiast, ML scholiasta, from late Gr skholiastes, from skholion, a marginal note. Cf -asm and -astic.

-aster

in E connotes inferiority (criticaster, poetaster) or even worthlessness (oleaster), senses derivative from those denoting smallness or a partial, or a slight, resemblance. Exx: oleaster, wild olive (tree), from L oleaster, olive (tree); poetaster, Mod L formation= poet+-aster.

-astic

, adj, is a cpd suffix, usu answering to -ast; it consists of -ast-+-ic, q.v.; its predecessors are L -asticus, occ via F -astique, and Gr -astikos. Exx: scholastic, L scholasticus, Gr skholastikos; paraphrastic, ML paraphrasticus, Gr paraphrastikos; encomiastic, Gr enkōmiastikos.

-asy

. See -asia.

-at

(1), n, as in diplomat, from F diplomate, and as in quadrat (cf quadrate), from L quadrātus, squared, are rare variants of -ate (1), q.v.

-at

A list of suffixes 3907

(2), n from L v, as in habitat, from L habitat, he or it dwells. Cf the subj parallel -eat below.

-ata

. See -ato.

-ate

(1), adj, whether pa or, derivatively, ‘straight’ adj, either derives from, or has been formed by analogy with adjj formed from, the L -ātus (rarely from the f -āta), the pp suffix of 1stconj vv (inf -are). Exx: desolate, L dēsolātus, pp of dēsolāre; emasculate, now only literary for ‘emasculated’, from L ēmasculātus, pp of ēmascu-lāre. An ex of adj formed from n—such words occur mostly in Bot and Zoo—is chordate, from L chorda, cord.

-ate

(2), n from the L n-suffix -ātus (4th de-clension; gen in -ātūs), denoting either office (or function) or occ a person holding that office or serving in that function. Exx: episcopate,

LL episcopātus (gen -atūs); magistrate, L magistrātus (gen -atūs); tribunate, (perhaps via F tribunal, from) L tribunātus (gen -atūs).

-ate

(3), n from L -ātus, 1st-conj pp, as in legate, via OF legal from L legātus, pp of legāre.

-ate

(4), n from L -ātum, neu of pp -ātus, is a Chem suffix, as in nitrate from nitr(ic acid), sulphate from sulphuric acid), and also alcoholate from alcohol, methylate from methyl on the analogy of alcoholate.

-ate

(5), v, as in concentrate and venerate, is formed by converting the L pp -ātus to -ate: cf the 1st -ate above. Thus fascinate comes from L fascinātus, pp of fascināre, and venerate from L uenerāri. There are also many anl formations, as, e.g., concentrate, from prefix con-+L centr(um: centre)+-ate, and incapacitate, from in-, not+ capacit(y)+-ate.

-atic

is a cpd suffix (-at-+ic, q.v.) of Gr origin in -atikos or, when not from Gr, of L origin in - aticus; occ via the F -atique. Exx: asthmatic, consisting of asthm(a)+(a)tic, from L asthmaticus, from Gr asthmatikos’, Adriatic, L Adriaticus; lymphatic, L lymphaticus.

General sense: of the nature of.

-atile

is another cpd suffix (-at-+-ile, q.v.), as in versatile (vers-+-at-+-ile), perhaps via F versatile, certainly from ML versātilis, L uersātilis. General sense: able, or tending, to (e.g., turn).

-atim

is a L adv suffix, added to the o/s of a n, as in seriatim; it connotes either ‘in’ or esp ‘in the manner of. Cf verbatim (L uerbatim, from uerbum, a word), app formed after seriatim.

-ation

is yet another cpd suffix (-at-+-ion, q.v.), as in consideration. It derives from L -ātiōn-, c/f of -ātiō, either direct, as (prob) in reconciliation, reconciliation; c/f of reconciliātiō, or through F -ation (for the acc -ātiōnem), as (perh) in reconcilia-tion, adopted from OF

Origins 3908

reconciliation, itself from reconciliātiōnem, acc of reconcilitātiō. In general sense, -ation corresponds to the verbal n in -ing (osculation=kissing).

It will be noted that many, prob most, of these nn in -ation answer to a v in -ate, as relation—relate; a special class is that of -isation or -ization, answering to vv in -ize: see the separate entries at (1) -isation, -ization, and (2) -ise, -ize.

The principal senses indicated by -ation may be summarily arranged thus:

(1)abstractness (state or condition, quality or degree): as in estimation, the quality of being esteemed, and occupation, the condition of being occupied; occ with an implication of process or continuance or manner, as in alteration, a nuance linked very closely with:

(2)action, as in continuation and visitation;

(3)result of an action, product of a process, as in proclamation and discoloration.

-atious

is an adj answering to—though it occurs much less often than—-ation, as in flirtatious— flirtation and vexatious—vexation. Like the other -at- suffixes, it is or can be regarded as a cpd (-at-+ -ious); in one aspect, -atious represents an extension of -ious, q.v. Cf:

-ative

(1), with connotation ‘tending to (whatever the v denotes)’, comes from ML -ātīvus, from L -ātīuus, either direct or through F -atif, f -ative, or anl with such adjj. Exx: amative, either am-, s of amāre, to love+-ative, or amāt-, s of amātus, pp of amāre+-ive, q.v.; creative, a similar formation; demonstrative, F démonstratif, ML demonstrātīvus (L - īuus); productive, ML productīvus, perh via F productif. Occ it is attached to native words, as in talkative.

-ative

(2), ‘having the quality, or being of the state or condition, of’ (the noun implied), answers to nn in -ity, the -y being discarded; thus quantitative, qualitative derive from quantity, quality. This -ative was prompted by -ative (1), which, in a sense, it imitates.

-ato

, m, and -ata, f, represents It pp adjj; thus appassionata as in the so-called Sonata Appassionato, and appassionato, a musical direction (‘impassioned’), derive from It appassionare (s appassion-), to render passionate.

-ator

, an extended form of agential -or, answers to L vv in -āre, as in amator (am-, s of amāre, to love+-ātor). Some authorities, however, regard amator and all other such formations as consisting of the pp s (e.g., amāt-)+agential -or. Cf:

-atorius

, -atory, may likewise be regarded as -at-(belonging to the pps)+ -ōrius, -ory, qq.v. below, or as -atōrious, -atory, attached to the simple inf s, as in the rare amatorious, the usu amatory, from L amatōrius. In a few words, the formation would appear to be agent - ātor+adj -y, as perh in clamatory, from L clamatōrius. (In short, suffixes are far more complex and complicated than prefixes.) Cf;

-ature

is either a cpd suffix (-at-+-ure, q.v.) or a mere ghost of one, the true suffix being -ure, as below. Exx: armature, L armātūra, from armāre (s arm-), pp armātus (pps armāt-); creature, adopted from OF, which took it from LL creatūra, from creāre (s cre-), pp

A list of suffixes 3909

creātus (pp s creāt-). Here, I think, the true suffix is -ure, q.v.

-bility

, n; -ble, adj. The latter, short for -bile, has n -bility (-bile become -bili-+ty; or -bil- (for - bile)+-ity). They derive, sometimes via F -ble, -bilité, from L -bilis, m and f, -bile, neu, and -bilitāt-, c/f of -bilitās, or, for F words, -bilitātem, acc; many adjj and nn have been formed analogously. The nn are abstract, their originating adjj are qualitative. Exx: horrible, adopted from OF, from L horribilis, from horrēre, to tremble or shiver with cold or dread—obsol horribility, OF horribilité, as though from L *horribilitās and perh influenced by ML horriditās; vulnerable, ML vulnerābilis, LL uulnerābilis, hence vulnerability, able, OF (h)able, L habilis—rare liability, OF habilité, L habilitātem, acc of habilitās, lit ‘ability to hold’.

Although -ability, -able are by far the commonest forms and although they tend, in new formations, to oust the others, there do exist certain variations, either deriving from or formed anl upon the orig L suffixes. Exx of all forms:

-ability, -able: arability, from arable, from L arābilis, neu arābile; rectifiable (whence rectifiability), from ‘to rectify’; receivable (whence receivability), from ‘to receive’, but prob influenced by F recevable; get-at-ability, from get-at-able, from ‘to get at’. This group is swollen by all derivatives from F -able, which tends to embrace L -ēbilis and - ibilis as well as -ābilis.

-ebility, -eble, very rare and fast being displaced by -ibility, -ible: delebility, from deleble (now usu delibility, from delible), from L dēlēbilis, neu dēlēbile, from dēlēre, to wipe out; disguised in feeble, OF feble, fleble, L flēbilis, from flēre, to weep;

-ibility, -ible: perceptibility, from LL perceptibilitās, from LL perceptibilis, -ibile, from percipere, to perceive;

-ubility, -uble: solubility, from soluble, adopted from MF-F, from LL solūbilis, neu solūbile, from soluere, to loosen, (hence) to dissolve.

-ble

(1). See prec.

-ble

(2). A variant of -ple, q.v. Of F origin, this -ble, denoting ‘fold’ (as in manifold), occurs in double, adopted from OF double, from L duplus, and treble, through OF from L triplus.

-bond

. See:

-bund

, -bond; -cund. Whereas -bund derives from L -bundus, f -bunda, and -bond from the same but through F -bond, f -bonde, -cund derives from L -cundus, f -cunda. The general connotation is ‘tending to’ (do whatever the v denotes). Exx: facund, perh via OF facond, certainly from L facundus, (lit) tending to fāri or speak, (hence) eloquent; jocund, OF jocond, ML jocundus, L iucundu s, from iuuāre, to help; moribund, L moribundus, from morī, to die; pudibund, bashful, L pudibundus, from pudēre, to be bashful, to feel asha med; rubicund, (perh v F rubicond) from L rubicundus, from rubēre, to be red; vagabond, adopted from OF vagabond, ML vagabundus, L uagabundus, from ML vagāri, L uagāri, to wander. Cf -und (as in rotund), q.v. below.

-by

Origins 3910

-c

. See -ic.

-cade

is not a true suffix, for it has merely been borrowed from cavalcade—and perh been influenced by the -ade of parade—to form such monstrosities as motorcade, an automobile procession.

-caster

[. See the list of learnèd compound-forming elements. The same remark holds good for - cester and -chester.]

-ce

, adv, as in once, twice, thrice, and in hence, thence, whence, represents the OE gen suffix

-es, as in dayes, by day—cf the mod dial ‘of a night’, at night, and ‘of a morning’, in the morning.

-cel

, as in Her lioncel, a small lion, is an OF dim suffix; cf the -el of OF lionnel, lit a lion, whence Lionel, and more pertinently the It dim -cello, as in monticello, from L -cellus, as in LL monticellus, a small mountain: cf also L -ellus (and L -ulus), of which L -cellus, F and E -cel, would seem to be extensions.

-ch

(1), adj, is ‘a syncopated form of -ish, as in French, Scotch’ (Webster). See, therefore, - ish, adj.

-ch

(2), n: ME -che: OE -ce. Exx: birch and church. Its connotation is ‘of or belonging to’. It may also answer to G -che, as in larch, and to Sp -cha, as in cinch.

-ch

(3), v, as in reach, search, teach, occurs in transitive vv and seems to connote a purposive effort, a striving.

-chre

, as in sepluchre. Var of -cre, q.v.

-city

[ answers to adj -cious. But these are not true suffixes, for the -c- belongs to an o/s ending in -c: cf ferocity (adj ferocious), from L ferōcitās, itself from the adj ferōx, o/s ferōc-. Cf - ious and -ity.]

-cle

(1), dim n. Most words in -cle have passed through F; the originating L form is -culus (m), -cula (f), -culum (neu), qq.v. at -cule. Exx: article, via MF-F, from L articulus, dim of artus, a joint; clavicle, F clavicule, ML clavicula, dim from L clauis, a key; corpuscle, like corpuscule, from L corpusculum; cuticle, L cuticula; particle, L particula. Perhaps a cpd suffix: -(i)c+-le.

-cle

A list of suffixes 3911

(2), n. In a few -cle nn, the force of -cle can only with difficulty be described as diminutive. They are words ending in -acle, from L -āculum, and deriving, not, as in -cle (1), from nn, but from vv. Exx: miracle, via OF, from L mirāculum, from mirāri, to wonder or wonder at (s mir-); oracle, via OF, from L orāculum, from orāre (s or-), to speak, esp to pray; receptacle, L receptāculum, from receptāre (s recept-); spectacle, via OF, from L spectāculum, from spectāre (s spect-), to look at. The connotation, clearly, is ‘object at which the action of the implied verb is directed’. Perhaps a cpd suffix: -ac+-le. Cf prec.

-cose

. See -icose.

-craft

[. See CRAFT.]

-cre

or -chre, as in fulcre, lucre, (?) massacre, sepulchre, derives from L -crum, thus: fulcre, an Englishing of L fulcrum; lucre, L lucrum; massacre, adopted from F of doubtful origin but with suffix on analogy of other F nn in -cre; sepulchre, ME sepulchre (adopted from OF), from L sepulcrum or, rather, its var sepulchrum. The L nn derive from vv—or, at the least, from the ss of vv; -crum therefore connotes action—lifting, gain, killing, burying, etc.

-cula

, -culum, -culus; -cule. The last is the E, often after F, form of L -cula, f, -culum, neu, or

-culus, m, dim suffix, with pl -culae, f, or -cula, neu, or -culi, m. Exx: animalcule, L animalculum (also in E), dim of animal; auricula, adopted from L f dim of auris (s aur-), ear; homuncule (or homuncle), from L homunculus (also in E), dim of homo, man; minuscule, adopted from F, from L minusculus, rather small, dim of minor, neu minus (s min-), lesser. See also -ula.

-cund

. See -bund.

-cy

represents Gr -keia or -kia, -teia or -tia, whether direct or via VL-ML -c a or L -tia or then via F -tie; the L word may have been formed analogously with other L words, the F with other F words, the E with other E words. It indicates state or condition or quality— cf, therefore, the native -hood and -ship—and its connotation is therefore of abstractness. ‘A special use of these suffixes [-cy, -sy] is to denote rank and office: curacy, episcopacy, magistracy, papacy, cornetcy, ensigncy; minstrelsy. Some of the above have also a collective sense; legacy has a concrete meaning’ (Sweet). Exx: bankrupt=bankrupt+-cy; infancy, from L infantia; secrecy=secret+-cy. The L and Gr forms appear best in such cpd suffixes as -acy (aristocracy, MF aristocracie, L aristocratia, Gr aristokratia) and - ancy (constancy, L constantia, and chiromancy—cf, in the Elements list, -mancy, from Gr manteia) and -ency (clemency, L clementia). Cf esp -ce, but also -acy, -ancy, -ency above. A parallel var is -sy, q.v. below.

-d

(1), adj of Gmc origin, with vaguely concrete connotation. Exx: bald, ME balled, cf Da baeldet; cold, OE cald or ceald, cf OS kald and ON kaldr; dead, OE dead; loud, OE

Origins 3912

hlūd, cf OS hlūd; wild, OE wilde, cf OFris wilde, OS and OHG wildi.

-d

(2) or -de, in nn. ‘Nouns formed with this suffix usually denote the result of some action, and can generally be traced to some verbal stem’: Nesfield, who instances blood, OE blōd—cf bleed, OE blēdan; brand, ON brandr—cf ON brenna, to burn; bread, OE brēad—cf OE brēowan, EE-E brew, v; deed, OE dd—cf OE dōn, EE-E do; flood, glede, need, seed, shard or sherd, speed, thread, suds—words that prove his contention.

-der

(1). Of Gmc origin, it indicates ‘result of’ (implied v), with an abstract connotation, as in murder, OE morthor, akin to myrthian (s myrth-), to murder. Cf -ter (4).

-der

(2): Gmc: ‘instrument’. Ex: bladder, OE blddre.

-die

[. See -le, n, and -le, v.]

-dom

, OE -dōm (cf G -turn), is of the same root as DOOM, q.v. It indicates office or dignity or jurisdiction, hence region; exx: earldom, kingdom, heathendom: such words being derived from nn. When -dom is suffixed to adjj, it connotes state or condition, as in freedom and wisdom. A modern connotation, that of collectivity (cf heathendom), occurs in, e.g., officialdom.

-e

(1). In most words, -e is a mute final, doing duty either for such Gr suffixes as -a and -ē and -os or for such L suffixes as -a and -us; exx: tome, tone, trope, type. When pronounced (ee), as in epitome and hyperbole, it stands for the Gr η (ē).

-e

-e

(3). In words adopted from It, it usu represents the pl of f adjj and nn in -a.

-é, as in employé, habitué, outré, protégé, roué, soigné, occurs only in words adopted from F; all the nn except roué have f counterparts in -ée, q.v.

-ea

[ is the pl of Gr words in -eon or of L words in -eum. Strictly, the -e- either belongs to the s or is a connective; the same is true of -eae, the suffix being -ae.]

-ean

, often through F -éen, means the same as -an or -ane and ‘is a lengthened form of L - aeus, -eus, the lengthened -aeanus occurring in L itself in some words’ (Sweet). Exx: cerulean, L caeruleus; European, F Européen, L europaeus, Gr eurōpaios; herculean, L herculeus; Mediterranean (cf mediterrane), L mediterrāneus.

-eat

, as in caveat, exeat, and -iat, as in fiat, indicates a 3rd person sing of the pres subj of L vv.

-ed

(1), in adjj, as ‘foliated’, ‘pig-headed’, derives analogously from -ed (2); whereas such

A list of suffixes 3913

words as foliated come from vv, those of the calyxed and pig-headed types come from nn whether simple or cpd. The connotation is ‘possessed of’ (a calyx, a pig-head—i.e., an obstinate one). Cf -t.

-ed

(2), in pp, as in ‘He had hastened’, derives from OE -ede or -ode or -ade. Cf -t.

-ed

(3), in pt, as in ‘He hastened’, derives from OE -ed or -od or -ad.

-ee

, as in assignee, grantee, lessee, derives either from or as if from -é, the m suffix of the F pp. Occurring mostly in legal terms, it forms the correlative of the agential -or (as in assignor, lessor, etc.); it connotes the person to or for whom something is done. Cf -ey, below, and:

-ée

is the f pp of F vv, as in divorcée (a divorced woman) and Pierre Loti’s Les Désenchantées. This form undoubtedly reinforced the influence of F -é (as in divorcé, a divorced man) in the genesis of the prec suffix. The F -é comes from L -ātus, m; -ée from L -āta, f.

-eel

, as in genteel, is a var of -ile (1), q.v.

-een

(1), in birdeen, colleen, girleen, squireen, is an Anglo-Ir dim prob akin to L -inus, f -ina, of vaguely dim conn in Classical L and LL, but definitely dim in mod formations (e.g., Angelina)—cf. -ina, q.v. The Ir dim is -īn, pron -een, as in cailín, whence colleen.

-een

(2), in sateen, occ written satine (pron sateen), from satin, and in velveteen, from velvet, connotes inferiority, sateen being a cotton fabric with a satin-like surface, and velveteen being velvet made entirely from cotton. The general conn, therefore, is ‘inferior dim’, not, as in (1), ‘dear dim’; nevertheless, -een (2) prob derives from -een (1).

-eer

(1), n, like -ar and -er and esp like -ier, usu comes from VL -erius (L -ārius), through OF -ier; on all other occasions, -eer nn have been formed analogously. Exx: gazetteer, orig a newspaper editor, from F gazettier; muleteer, from F muletier; pamphleteer=pamphlet+- eer; pioneer, EE pioner, from F pionnier; privateer =privat(e)+(e)er; volunteer EF voluntaire (Mod volontaire).

-eer

(2), v, as in domineer, represents the F 1st-conj inf suffix -er (dominer); volunteer, v, derives, however, from the n.

-eet

(1), adj of L origin, as in discreet, is a rare var of -ete, q.v. below.

-eet

(2), adj of Gmc origin. Exx: fleet, prob from ON; sweet, OE swēte. Cf -t (2), adj of Gmc origin.

-ei

represents the gen sing of the L 5th declension, as in ‘Fidei Defensor’, the Defender of

Origins 3914

the Faith, But it may also represent the dat sing of the same declension, as in the latinism fideicommissum, lit ‘(a thing) committed—i.e., entrusted—to faith’.

-eign

, as in foreign, ‘disguises’ -an or esp -ain: ME foreine or forene, OF forain (f foraine), LL forānus (for-+-ānus), from the L adv -foras (var of foris), out of doors.

-ein

, -eine, merely vary the chem suffixes -in,- ine, qq.v.: -eine is usu reserved for bases, -ein for non-bases. (Webster.)

-eity

, as in homogeneity, is an extension of -ity. q.v. The -e- is that which occurs also in -eous.

-el

(1), adj, as in cruel, usu answers to L -ēlis (var of -ilis, q.v. at -il and -ile)—as in L crudēlis, which, through OF cruel, yields E cruel, cf the obs fidel or fidell or fidele, faithful, via F fidèle, from L fidēlis. Occ, however, as in scrannel, it is formed on the analogy of OE -el: cf -le, adj (q.v.)

-el

(2), n, is dim, as in chapel, OF chapele, LL cappella, f dim from L cappa, and in citadel,

F citadelle, It cittadella, dim of cittade, a city. It comes, often via OF-F and occ via It, from the L dim -ellus (m) or -ella (f) or -ellum. But in a few words, e.g. navel, runnel, it appears to be a native dim. Cf -le (and -l) and -elle.

-el

, (3), n, as in cautel, quarrel and sequel, represents the L suffix -ēla: thus, cautel, OF cautele, L cautēla, from cauēre, to be wary; quarrel, OF querele, L querēla, from querī, to complain; sequel, F séquelle, L sequēla, from sequī, to follow. This suffix, quite distinct from -el (2), seems merely to indicate ‘(n of) action corresponding to v’. Cf -ele.

-el

(4), n. In hovel, of unknown origin, the suffix -el is likewise of unknown conn. But, as Skeat has proposed, hovel is perh the dim of OE hof, a house, and -el therefore identical with -el (2).

-el

(5), v, as in drivel and snivel, is a var of -le, v (q.v. below) in its freq conn: ME -elen, OE

-lian.

-ela

, as in cautela and sequela, is an adoption from L: cf -el (3) above.

-ele

, as in clientele, represents OF -ele (F -èle), from L -ēla: cf prec and -el (3).

-ella

is an adoption of, or a formation anl with, L -ella, f dim suffix, answering to m -ellus (and neu -ellum). Exx: Cinderella (cinder+-ella; suggested by F Cendrillon); Libella, old Sci name for a dragonfly; umbrella, adapted from It ombrella. Cf:

-elle

is an adoption of F -elle, f dim corresponding to L -ella; as in bagatelle. Cf prec and:

-elli

, pl of L -ellus, It -ello, m dim suffix, as in vermicelli, pl of It vermicello, lit a small

A list of suffixes 3915

worm.

-ello

. It m dim suffix, as in niello and violoncello. In the latter, as in vermicelli (see prec), the - c- is itself a suffix, presumably dim.

-ellum

is the L neu dim answering to the m dim -ellus. Both -ellum and -ellus occur in only a few latinisms, e.g. flagellum. Cf the prec four entries and -el (2).

-ellus

. See prec.

-em

, as in diadem, emblem, system, theorem, represents the Gr -ēma, n suffix for a formation from a v, often through L -ēma and OF-MF -eme or F -ème; the Gr n connotes result from the action of the v, as in diadēma, from diadein, to bind round. Cf -m (3), -ma, -me

(2) and -eme.

-ema

, as in enema, represents Gr -ema (short e), app a var of Gr -ēma. Cf prec and:

-eme

(adj in -emic), as in phoneme and, imitatively, in morpheme, represents Gr -ēma and therefore forms a var of -em.

-en

(1), adj of L origin, as in alien, adopted from OF, itself from L aliēnus; mizzen, F misaine, It mezzana (elliptical for mezzana vela), f of mezzano, middle, from LL mediānus, and in sullen, ME solein, via OF from VL *solānus, solitary, from solus, alone. A variant of -an (1), q.v.—from L -ānus or -ēnus.

-en

(2), adj of OE origin and connoting ‘made, or consisting, of’, as in ashen, golden, leaden, oaken, oaten, wheaten, wooden, thus: ashen, whether relating to the ash tree or to ashes; golden, ME golden—cf OE gylden; leaden, OE lēaden; oaken=oak+-en; oaten=oat+-en; wheaten, OE hwten; wooden=wood+-en. The OE -en is akin to Go -eins, L -inus, Gr - inos: cf, therefore, -in, -ine, adjj; cf also:

-en

(3), n, is to be compared very closely with prec. ‘The similarity of meaning between material nouns and adjectives has in some cases led to the conversion of adjectives in -en into nouns, as in linen=OE līnen “flaxen” from līn “flax”, and the tree names aspen=OE aespe, linden=OE lind fem.’: Sweet.

-en

(4), n. In pl, as ashen, brethren, children, eyen, hosen, oxen: cf the -ne of kine and the -n of shoon. Thus brethren derives from ME bretheren. ME -en derives from OE -an.

-en

(5), n dim, as in chicken, OE cicen, and maiden, OE maegden (cf OE maegth for the stem), derives from OE -en; with maegden, cf G mädchen.

-en

(6), n in f suffixes, as in vixen, dial for fixen, OE fyxen, f of OE fox: cf the obs wylfen, f of OE wulf, wolf, with its MHG syn wulfinne (suffix -inne).

Origins 3916

-en

(7), agential n, as in haven, OE haefen (or -ene)—cf ON höfn—and as in token, OE tācen—cf OFris tēken, OS tēkan, OHG zeihhan; lit the have-er or holder and the show-er or indicator, Cf, therefore, agential -n and -on. But agential -en sometimes originates in L: e.g., citizen, influenced by denizen (ult from L dē intus, from within), and scrivener, with superfluous -er.

-en

(8), as in burden (OE byrthen), has a passive conn: lit, that which is borne—cf bairn, that which is born, and also, for the suffix, loan, that which is lent. Cf the corresponding -n, n, and esp the pp -en, q.v. at -en (11) below.

-en

(9). In heaven—cf the shortened -n of main, strength (OE maegen—cf OHG magan) and thegn (Mod E thane)—the suffix -en is of vague connotation; the OE heofon is akin to OS hevan. This Mod E -en, therefore, is akin to PG *-an or *-on.

-en

(10), v, as in frighten, lengthen, shorten, strengthen, weaken, usu from adjj but also, as in frighten, from nn; its conn is ‘to render’ whatever the adj indicates or ‘to induce’ (in someone or something) whatever state or condition or quality the n denotes. Exx: frighten=fright, n+-en; lengthen=length+-en; shorten= short, adj+-en; strengthen=strength+-en; weaken=weak, adj + -en. This suffix hardly antedates 1500— in written records; it has been formed on the analogy of OE vv in -nian, of which the initial -n- has been lost and the -i- discarded, to accord with ME vv in -en. But it might be argued that E -en owes something to Scan vv in -na.

-en

(11), the pp ending of most strong vv, as in broken, OE brocen; drunken, OE druncen; fallen, OE feallen; ridden, ME iriden, later riden. The OE -en has a cognate in Skt -na. From these pp forms derive the answering pp adjj, as in ‘the drunken fellow’. Cf -en (8) above.

-ence

, -ency. See -ance, -ancy above.

-end

. See -and.

-endum

. See -andum.

-ene

, as in benzene and toluene, is a Chem suffix indicating a hydrocarbon; cf the -ane of octane. Prob suggested by the L adj suffix -ēnus, the Gr -ēnos, connoting nature or quality. Hence the commercial use of -ene to denote almost any kind of substance.

-engro

, connoting ‘man’ or ‘fellow’, as in Lavengro (lit Man of Words), represents the Romany cpd suffix -engero, which=-en, denoting a pl+-kera, an adj suffix+-o, a common m n- suffix.

-ent

, adj and n. See -ant (1) above.

A list of suffixes 3917

-eny

. See -iny below.

-eous

, as in aqueous, igneous, vitreous, derives from L -eus, composed of or resembling the implied n, thus: aqueous, from L *aqueus, assumed on the analogy of other L adjj in - eus; igneous, L igneus, from ignis, fire; vitreous, from ML vitreus, L uitreus, glassy, from uitrum, glass. Cf -ous. (In righteous we see the -wise of ME rightwise discarded for

-(e)ous; in gorgeous we see OF gorgias, which= stem gorg-+connective -i-+-as, adj and n suffix, becoming gorg-+-e- for -i-+-ous.)

-er

(1), adj of comp degree, as in faster, slower, better, finer (i.e. fin(e)+-er), derives from OE -ra, as in better, OE betera: cf ON betri, OHG bezziro, Go batiza, L melior, Gr beltiōn, and perh Skt bhadra (good).

The -er of comp advv derives from OE -or, akin to OHG and OS -ōr and Go -ōs, -ōz. The adv better, deriving from OE bet, has been influenced by analogy: cf the L melius and the Gr beltion. (See esp O.E.D.)

-er

(2), adj, as in eager, AE meager (E meagre), derives from L -er; an -re spelling indicates passage via F. Thus: eager, ME egre, OF aigre, L ācer; meager or meagre, ME megre,

OF megre or maigre, L macer—cf the eccl maigre. This -er, very common in L and having conn ‘quality’, has occ been taken direct by E from L, as in dexter and sinister— contrast F dextre and sinistre.

-er

(3), adv. For some advv, see -er (1), second para. For the -er of ever, hence of never, see - re (2), the adv -re of here and there.

-er

(4), n, agential (orig m) or instrumental straight from v, as in murderer from murder and player from play; where the v ends in -e, as in hate, poke, that -e is dropped, as in hater, poker. Although most of the exx are modem, this -er derives from OE -ere, which, like Go -areis and OHG -ari (G -er), came orig from L -ārius (m) or -ārium (neu). Cf:

-er

(5), n denoting ‘person or thing connected with’, as in carpenter, garner, grocer, comes—usu via AF -er, OF -ier—from L -ārius (m) or -ārium (neu), from another n. Exx: carpenter, ONF carpentier (cf the surnames Carpentier, Carpenter), LL carpentārius, from carpentum; garner, a granary from OF gernier, metathesis of grenier, from L grānārium, from grānum; grocer, ME grosser, OF grossier, ML grossārius, from grossus. Cf prec.

-er

(6), n, links very closely with prec. This group consists of nn from E nn, thus hatter from hat, philologer from philolog(y), purser from purse, and the general conn is ‘one concerned with’. Both -er (5) and -er (6) are neutral, whereas -er (4) is active. Note the variants bowyer, lawyer, sawyer, and collier, glazier, haulier.

-er

(7), agent of L origin (via OF-F) in -ātor, which represents the predominant L agential

Origins 3918

suffix -or attached to the pp s. Exx: commander, OF comandeor (F commandeur), analogously from comander, from a VL var of commendāre; compiler, OF compileor, L compīlātor, from compīlāre, to gather together; diviner, OF divineor, ML divinātor, LL diuinātor, from diuināre, to foresee; interpreter, OF interpreter, LL interpretātor, from interpretāri.

-er

(8), n, denoting ‘a resident in, a native of’, as in Londoner, Northerner, foreigner and villager; deriving from n or adj, this -er may be compared to the -er of G Engländer, Englishman.

-er

(9), n, person or thing attaining to a certain size, height, weight, strength, etc.: as in sixtypounder, six-footer, half-miler, Forty-Niner. Perh cf prec and prob cf:

-er

(10), n, a person, an object, an action connected with or related to the idea implicit in the stem. Exx: back-hander, facer, header, newcomer, old-timer. With -er (4) and, less, (5)- (10) cf the agential -or below.

-er

(11). Alternative for -or, as in carburetter.

-er

(12), n, denoting or, at the vaguest, connoting ‘action or process of’ whatever the v indicates, as in dinner and supper and, exemplifying certain legal terms, demurrer and waiver; all of which derive from, or are adoptions of, OF-MF or AF pres-infs, thus: demurrer, OF demorer; dinner, ME diner, OF disner; disclaimer, AF desclamer; supper, ME soper or super, adopted from OF; waiver, AF weyver.

-er

(13), n. The suffix in udder, from OE ūder (akin to OHG ūtar, L ūber, Gr outhar, Skt ūdhar), has a meaning difficult to determine. It is perh the same as that in finger, OE finger, akin to OHG fingar, ON fingr; hammer, OE hamer or hamor, akin to ON hamarr; hunger, OE hungor, akin to OFris hunger, OHG hungar, ON hungr; silver, OE seolfor, akin to OFris selover, ON silfr; summer, OF sumor or sumer, akin to OFris sumur, OHG sumar, ON sumar.

-er

(14), n, as in counter, via OF from ML computatōrium—dormer, OF dormeor, L dormitōrium—laver, via OF from ML lavatōrium, LL lauatōrium—manger, via OF from VL *manducatōria, from L manducāre, obviously comes from the L suffix -ōrium or its occ var -ōria, with conn ‘a place’ for the action denoted by the v stem (to calculate— sleep—wash—eat). Cf, therefore, -ory below.

-er

(15), in freq vv, as batter (?) and clatter and patter and shatter—quaver and quiver and shiver—flitter and glitter—mutter, sputter, stutter. The origin, therefore, is vaguely echoic; all the stems are echoic.

-er

(16). See -re (4).

-er

A list of suffixes 3919

(17), v, in sever, corresponds approximately to L -āre, 1st-conj pres-inf suffix; and in batter, ult from L, to L -ere (battuere, LL battere)—cf render, OF rendre, VL *rendere (after prendere), from reddere.

-erel

is a dim, often pej. Exx: cockerel=cock+ -erel; ? doggerel, ME dogerel; dotterel, app from obs dote, a stupid fellow, ‘to dote’ in its obs sense ‘to act foolishly’; gangrel, a vagabond, app= Scots gang, to go+ (e)rel; hoggerel, a hogget, app =hog, an unshorn sheep not more than a year old +euphonic g+-erel; ? mackerel, MF maquerel—but here the dim suffix is very prob -el, for the -er- is almost certainly part of the stem; mongrel is app for mongerel=dial mong, to mix+-erel; pickerel, a young pike, for pikerel, i.e. pik(e)+

(e)rel. But -rel may fairly be said to exist in its own right, alongside -erel. Cf -rel below.

-erion

, as in criterion, is a cpd: -er+ -ion, or rather Gr -ēr+connective -i-+-on; -ēr is agential or instrumental, -on corresponds to L -um. The L shape of Gr -ērion is -ērium.

-erly

, adj, connoting ‘direction whence’, is a mod suffix, thus: easterly=east, adv+-erly; the same process applies to northerly, southerly, westerly. Prob -erly is a cpd: an adj -er, connoting direction+adj -ly.

-ern

(1), adj, connotes direction and derives from OE -erne, as in eastern (OE ēasterne) and western (OE westerne), northern (OE northerne) and southern (OE sūtherne). Cf prec.

-ern

(2), n, as in cavern, cistern, lantern, tavern, answers to L -erna and, derivatively, F -erne. Thus: cavern, OF caverne, ML caverna, L cauerna, from cauus (s cau-), hollow; cistern,

ME cisterne, adopted from OF, from L cisterna, from cista, a box or chest; lantern, OF lanterne, L lanterna (s lant-), from Gr lamptēr (s lamp-), a light; tavern, ME taverne, adopted from OF, from L taberna for traberna, from trabes or trabis, a beam (timber). L -erna seems to be of Etruscan origin.

-ero

, a Sp agential and instrumental suffix, corresponding to -ier, q.v. Exx: bolero, a very lively Sp dance, from Sp bola, a ball+-ero; sombrero, Sp sombra, shade, shadow+-ero; torero, Sp toro, a bull+-ero; vaquero, a cowboy, for vachero, from vaca, a cow+-ero.

-ery

(1): ME -erie: OF-MF -erie, app from -ier (q.v. below) or -er, themselves from L -ānus, with abstract -ie (? L -ia) added; -ery often becomes -ry, as in chivalry, from OF chevalerie or chivalerie. In Mod E ‘this suffix is mainly used in derivatives from nouns, and occasionally from adjectives, expressing (a) actions or qualities, as in bigotry, devilry, drudgery, pedantry, revelry, pleasantry, (b) condition, as in outlawry, slavery; (c) occupation, trade, art, etc., as in casuistry, palmistry, chemistry, heraldry; (d) the place of actions, occupations etc., as in nunnery, nursery, vestry…; (e) the result or product of action etc., as in poetry, tapestry; (f) collectivity, as in infantry…, peasantry, yeomanry’, as Sweet has so concisely determined.

-ery

(2), as in mystery: L -ērium, Gr -ērion. Conn: ‘state of’ (the person indicated by the

A list of suffixes 3921

-ess

(2), orig adj, but in ModE only n—m not f. Exx: burgess, ME burgeis, adopted from OF, from burc or burg, fort, fortified place, fortified city, from LL burgus, of Gmc origin, although OF burgeis may represent a LL adj *burgensis; marquess, MF marquis, OF markis, from ML markensis, from marca, frontier or march,

-ess

(3). See:

-esse

, as in largesse, AE largess, and as in noblesse oblige, has been adopted from OF. The OF largesse derives from VL *largitia; OF -esse therefore=VL or LL or even L -itia, abstract-n suffix. Cf duress, from L dūritia, and fortress, from OF forteresse.

-est

(1), adj and adv, denoting the superlative degree: OE -est or -ost, akin to ON -(a)str, Go - ists or -osts, Gr -istos, Skt -istha. Exx: sweetest; earliest; soonest; best, OE best, short for betst, itself short for betest.

-est

(2), n—as in earnest, ME ernes, OF erres, and, clearly of different origin, in harvest, OE haerfest, akin to OHG herbist—is worth noting only because these words may, in their EE-E forms, reflect the influence of (1).

-est

(3), v. Archaic suffix of the 2nd person singular, as in ‘thou livest’; in mod usage, mostly

-st, as in canst, didst, mayst. It comes down from OE -est.

-et

(1), adj, as in dulcet, a refashioning, after L dulcis, of doucet, F dim of doux, f douce, from L dulcis, sweet; and as in russet, F rousset, dim of roux, f rousse. In short, a gallicism.

-et

(2) occurs in E nn from F dim nn in -et, as in billet-doux; crotchet (ME crochet, adopted from the OF dim of croc, a hook); fillet, OF filet, dim of fil, a thread; fleuret, floret, both from F—cf floweret (flower+-et). The originating F word sometimes ends, not in the m - et but in the f -ette (cf -ette below), as in islet from OF islette, dim of isle (ModF île); sometimes ModE has reshaped -ette gallicisms into -et false-gallicisms, as, e.g., in octet for octette, quintet for quintette, sextet for sextette.

-et

(3): a rare var of -th (1), q.v. below. Ex: thicket, OE thiccet, prob from thicce, thick.

-ete

(1), adj, as in complete, discrete: of same origin as (3) below.

-ete

(2), n, as in gamete, L gameta (var gametis), (a grecism for:) wife, Gr gametē, wife (cf gametēs, husband), from gamein (s gam-), to marry. The F form is -ète. Conn: ‘agent’, corresponding to the implied v.

-ete

(3), v, as in deplete and secrete, derives from -ētus, the pp suffix of L vv in -ēre. Cf, in short, the much commoner vv in -ate, q.v. above.

Origins 3922

-eth

(1), adj, as in twentieth. See numerical -th (the 1st -th).

-eth

(2), v, as in dieth, doeth (doth), knoweth, singeth, thinketh: archaic: from the OE suffix - eth or -ath or, shortened, -th.

-etic

, adj, corresponds to -esis, n, as in genesis, adj genetic. It comes, often through L -ēticus, from Gr -ētikos, as in pathetic (cf F pathétique), LL pathēticus, Gr pathētikos, from pathētos, undergoing, or subject to, suffering, from pathein, to suffer. It may be argued that the true suffix is -ic and that -et- belongs to stems ending in -et; but those stems are subsidiary or derivative, as in gen(esis, -etic) and in path(etic). Cf:

-etin

, in Chem, is a cpd suffix: -et (um)+chem -in. Thus quercetin corresponds to quercin.

-etion

, as in completion, is simply the form taken by derivatives from the L 2nd conj, as compared with -ation from the 1st conj. A cpd. Base: -ion, q.v.

-etive

corresponds, for the L 2nd conj (pres inf -ēre), to the -ative, q.v., deriving from the L 1st conj (-āre). Ex: completive, ML complētīvus, L -īuus.

-etta

is the It ‘answer’ to F -ette, as -etto is the It ‘answer’ to F -et. It occurs in, e.g., burletta, dim of burla, jest, mockery, and operetta, dim of Mus opera.

-ette

, n, is the f counterpart of the m -et (2) above. In E words, esp those formed by analogy, the dim force is often lost, as in etiquette. Exx: cigarette, lit a little cigar, adopted from F; serviette, form-adopted but sense-adapted from F, which derives it from servir, v used as n; undergraduette, -ette being substituted for -ate.

-etto

—cf -etta above—occurs only in a few italianisms, e.g. falsetto, dim of falso, and stiletto, dim of stilo, a dagger.

-etum

, as in arboretum, a plantation, pinetum, a pine grove, rosetum, a rosery, denotes ‘plantation, grove, clump’; all three words come straight from L, as does the less-used quercetum, a plantation of oak-trees. The L basic words are resp arbor, pinus (s pin), rosa (s ros-), quercus (s querc-). The basic sense of L -ētum seems to be: ‘group, collection’ (of plants, esp shrubs and trees) or even ‘collectivity’ (of plants).

-ety

displaces -ity in certain nn derived from L adjj and advv having stem in -i; e.g. ebriety, from ēbrietās, from ēbrius; dubiety, from dubietās from dubius; propriety, from proprietās from proprius; satiety, from satietās from satis. The Romans avoided the ending -iitas.

-eur

(1), as in grandeur and hauteur, both gallicisms, is the F form of L -or, abstract suffix, connoting state or quality. But F liqueur answers to L liquor, where -or connotes agency

A list of suffixes 3923

or materiality.

-eur

-ey

(1), adj, as in clayey and skyey—that is, for nn ending in -y—takes the place of -y, adj, q.v. below.

-ey

(2), n, as in attorney, from OF atorné, has been described as the weak form of -ee (lessee, patentee, refugee), q.v. above. (Sweet.) Ex: journey, OF journee, a day’s duration. The OF-F -ée and OF-F -é may derive from L -āta, f, or -ātus, m.

-ey

(3), n, as in Turkey, is a variant of -y, n (q.v. below), as it occurs in names of countries; it comes, usu via ME and OF -ie, from L -ia. Turkey=ME Turkie, from OF, from Turc, a Turk.

-ey

(4), n dim, a rare var of -y (9), q.v. Exx: donkey, monkey.

-ey

(5), n: OE -ig. Ex: honey, OE hunig, akin to OS honeg and OHG honag. A suffix of obscure meaning.

-ezza

. An It abstract-n suffix.

-fare

[. See Dict at FARE.]

-fex

[; -fic. See Compound-forming Elements—at fac-.]

-fold

[. See Dict at FOLD.]

-ful

[. See Dict at FULL.]

-fy

[. See Elements at fac-.]

-gle

(1), in nn, is, I think, only an app suffix. In such words as beagle, bugle, eagle, shingle, the -g- would appear to belong to the stem.

-gle

(2), v, is an extension of echoic (and freq) -le, q.v.; as in straggle, wriggle.

-go

hardly occurs outside of -ago and -igo, qq.v.

-ham

[, in place-names: see Dict at HOME.]

-head

Origins 3924

, as in godhead and maidenhead, is now rare for the var -hood, as in boyhood, childhood, girlhood, knighthood, manhood, womanhood, from nn, and in hardihood, from adj, the conn being ‘state, quality; rank’. Webster notes the resultant secondary senses, ‘concrete instance’—as in falsehood, and (from the nuance ‘rank’) ‘collectivity’, as in brotherhood and sisterhood. Whereas -head originates in OE -hed, -hood originates in OE -hōd or - hād, from the since-disappeared independent words hōd or hād (var hed), state, condition, quality, (?) hence rank, order. Exx: brotherhood= brother+-hood; childhood, from OE cildhād; falsehood=false+-hood; girlhood=girl+ -hood; godhead, from ME godhed; hardihood=hardy+ -hood; knighthood, from OE cnihthād, collective youth; maidenhead app=var of maidenhood, from OE maegdenhād; manhood=man+-hood; sisterhood=sister+-hood; womanhood=woman+-hood. OE -hād, -hed, or their orig independents, have cognates in OS hēd and OHG heit (whence the very common G suffix -heit) and, with different meanings, Go haidus, manner, and ON heither, honour; prob also Skt ketu, brightness (cf citra, bright); and perh E HOT. For the native history of this suffix, see esp Sweet’s English Grammar, ], 461–2.

-hood

. See prec.

-i

(1), adj. Iraki, of Irak, hence a native of Irak; Punjabi, of the Punjab, hence a native of the Punjab—Hindi Panjābī, from Panjāb. An Indo-Iranian adj suffix.

-i

(2), n, indicates the pl of L 2nd-dec nn in -us, as in radii from radius; cf foci, pl of focus. But also of L 2nd-dec nn in -er, as pueri from puer, a boy, and agri from ager, a field.

-i

(3), n, occurs also in the pl of It nn in -o, as banditti for It pl banditi, from bandito, and stiletti from stiletto, or in -e, as in dilettanti from dilettante.

-i-

, connective, has been adopted from L, where it occurs in true cpds, as ML omnivorus (omn-+ -i-+-vorus), whence E omnivorous, and in cpds with second element a terminal, as aurifer (aur-+ -i-+-fer), whence E auriferous. Its basic conn, where it does not merely signify ‘and’ or ‘connected with’, is ‘of’ or ‘for’ or ‘like’. As -o- is the specifically Gr connective, so -i- is the characteristically L connective.

Sometimes a thematic -i-, i.e. an -i- belonging to the stem, resembles a connective -i-; occ it is difficult to distinguish them, esp in words derived from L nn in -ius or -ium or - ia. Thus fluvial comes from ML fluviālis, L fluuiālis, from L fluuis (ML fluvius), which has s fluui- (ML fluvi-); the adj suffix is therefore -ālis, E -al. In clavichord, ML clavichordium the first element is clav- (L clau-), the -i- is connective, the second element is -chordium, from chorda, because L clauis, ML clavis, has s clau-, ML clav-, not claui-, clavi-. Whereas fluuius is declined fluui-um, -i, -o, pl -i, -os, -orum, -is, with s obviously fluui-, clauis is declined clau-em, -is, -i, -e, pl -es, -ium, -ibus, with s obviously clau-.

-ia

, in words adopted from L, represents either a f sing, of abstract conn, or a neu pl of nn in -ium, of concrete or objective conn; in words from Gr, whether direct or via L, -ia likewise represents either a f sing, abstract, of nn in -ia or a neu pl, concrete, of nn in -

Origins 3926

or from Gr -ikos (often the origin of L -icus), whether directly or, as usu, via L -icus (and perh F -ique). Although generically the L suffix -icus owes much to Gr -ikos, an -icus adj need not come from an -ikos adj; it freq derives from a L n, and that n need not be of Gr origin. This suffix, whether -ikos or -icus or -ique or -ick or -ic, is so common at every historical and linguistic stage that, at all stages after the Gr (and perhaps there too), it was virtually autonomous.

Exx: angelic=angelick, angelyke: F angélique: L angelicus: Gr angelikos (

), from angelos (s angel-), , an angel; bucolic, L bucolicus, Gr boukolikos; pudic, F pudique, L pudicus; volcanic, F volcanique, It vulcanico, an -ico, i.e. It, reshaping of ML vulcānius, L uulcānius, Vulcanian; vitriolic, F vitriolique; Byronic= Byron+ -ic, prob after Mil tonic.

Whereas OED and Webster regard -ic (-ique, -icus, -ikos) as a genuine suffix, app consisting in L of -ic-+-us and in Gr of -ik-+-os, Skeat asserts that the i is thematic and that the true suffix is -c (L -cus, Gr -kos); his examples, civic and logic, are particularly unfortunate, for, of L ciuis (ML civis), the s is ciu- (ML civ-) and of Gr logikos the s is log-, as it is of logos.

-ic

(2), n. Simply the -ic adj, as prec, used as a n, as in classic and magic. The n may have been one as early as in Gr, although even that Gr n began as an adj, as in music; sometimes it is a L adj become L n and then taken over by E, as in public, (prob via F) from L pūblicus. Cf -ics below.

-ical

, adj, is a cpd of -ic, adj+-al, adj, both as above. In general, it is an elaboration of -ic; never an intensification of -al. Where the two forms -ic and -ical co-exist and there is no need to differentiate, the longer form dies out, e.g. generical has given way to generic. But where there is a need to differentiate, either the two forms are retained, with one form acquiring a different nuance, or, if there is only one form, the other form (whether -ic or - ical) is created. Where a word in -ic or -ics is used solely as a n, the corresponding adj is - ical: thus, music—musical, politics—political. The distinction between politic and political, ethic and ethical, comic and comical, and so forth, is a matter of usage, not merely of suffixes.

-ice

(1), n: ME -ice or -ise: OF -ice or -ise: LL -icius (etc.): L -itius, f -itia, neu -itium, but esp

-itia, for that suffix occurs freq in abstract nn, and, not much less, -itium, connoting ‘act or period of’ whatever the adj or v indicates. Exx: justice, OF jus f ice (or -ise), ML jūstitia, L iūstitia, from iūstus (s iūst-, ML jūst-), just, equitable, fairminded; novice, adopted from OF, from ML novicius or novitius, L nouicius, -itius, from nouus, new; service, through OF from ML servitium, L seruitium, from seruīre, to serve.

-ice

(2), v: from OF -iser, from L -icāre, as in AE ‘to practice’.

-icel

, as in radicel (cf F radicelle), a dim of radix, a root, is a cpd: -ic+-el, dim suffix. Cf -icle and -icule below.

-ician

A list of suffixes 3927

, conn ‘an exponent of, an expert in’ (a field indicated by the n), as in magician, musician: F -icien, a cpd of -ic, q.v.+F -ien, q.v. at -ian above. Among mod formations, devised anl, are such horrors as mortician (mart-, o/s of L mors, death+the -ician of physician) and beautician (beaut(y)+the -ician of magician).

-icism

, strictly a cpd (-ic, as above +-ism, as below), derives from Gr -ikismos, often via L - icismus; in some E words, -icism is added, not as the cpd it is, but as a simple suffix, with conn ‘an example of the basic idea’ implied by the s. Exx: Atticism, from Gr attikismos; witticism=wit+ euphonic t+-icism, prob after criticism. Cf:

-icist

, as in publicist (F publiciste, G Publizist), has been modelled upon Gr agential nn in - ikistēs, itself a cpd—-ik-, which becomes -ic, and -istēs, which becomes -ist. Cf simplicist; simpl(ism)+ -icist.

-icity

: F icité: L -icitāt-, o/s of the cpd suffix -icitās (-ic+-itās, q.v. at -ity below), with conn ‘abstractness’, esp ‘quality of’ (the adj involved). Exx: felicity, OF felicité (F félicité), L fēlicitās, o/s fēlicitāt-, from fēlix, happy; rapacity, L rapācitās, o/s rapācitāt-, from rapāx, addicted to seizing.

-icle

derives from L -icula, f of the dim suffix -iculus, and is clearly a cpd of -ic, q.v. above, and -ula, f of the dim -ulus, q.v. at -ule below; cf also -le. Exx: particle, L particula, dim of pars (o/s part-), a part; radicle, L rādicula, dim of rādix, a root. Cf -icel and -icule.

-icon

occurs in a few grecisms, such as onomasticon, through ML from Gr onomastikon, elliptical for o. biblion, a book concerned with names (onoma, a name), and Ranulphus Higden’s Polycronycon or Polychronicon, and the obs chronicon, a chronicle. Clearly - icon=Gr -ikon, neu of -ikos: -ik-+-on, neu n suffix.

-icose

, as in bellicose (L bellicōsus, either an extension of bellicus, of war, itself from bellum, war, or direct from bellum), would appear to be a cpd: -ic-, q.v. above+-ose, q.v. below.

-ics

, indicating, as in ethics, metaphysics, politics, a science or a system and connoting ‘matters concerned with’ the n implied in the s, imitates Gr -ika (L -ica), neu pl of the adj

-ikos, as in ta ēthika, (lit) the ethical matters, hence ethics; the sing, predominant—in, e.g., logic, magic, music—until c1590, has, e.g. in ethic and metaphysic, been revived in late C19–20, prob after F and, less, G practice: cf F l'éthique

(f) and la métaphysique and G Ethik (f) and Metaphysik (f). Sweet has, of mathematics

(Gr ta mathēmatika), well said that it is an imitation of the Gr usage, ‘aided by the English habit of making adjectives into nouns by adding the plur -s, as in greens, news and the vulgar rheumatics=rheumatism’.

See -ic (1) and (2) above.

-icular

. The adj answering to:

-icule

A list of suffixes 3929

-idan

, adj. See -ida and -idae.

-ide

, in Chem, indicates a cpd, as in chloride (from chlorine). All such nn have been formed anl with oxide.

-idin

, -idine, are chem cpd suffixes, consisting of chem -id (for -ide)+chem -in or -ine: cf, therefore, -ide and -ine, n.

-idinous

, adj of nn in -ido: L -īdinōsus, adj from -idō, n: general conn ‘emotional state or condition’. Best ex: libidinous, perh via libidineuse, f of F libidineux, from L libīdinoōsus, formed by attaching the common adj suffix -ōsus (conn ‘of the quality implied by the n’) to libīdin-, o/s of libīdō, pleasure, esp sexual pleasure, desire, lust, itself formed by attaching to lib-, the s of the impersonal v libet, it pleases, the rare suffix -īdō, with vague conn ‘n of (emotional) state or condition’.

-idity

, abstract n, attaches -ity, q.v., to -id, adj, q.v. at -id (1). Thus: timidity, from L timiditās (r tim-)—gen timiditātis—from the adj timidus.

-ie

, formerly a spelling of -y, n, as in beautie, is, in ModE, restricted to use as a dim, notably in pet-names and other endearments, thus: birdie, from bird; dearie, from dear (n); Johnnie, though still often Johnny, from John. Cf -y (6).

-ience

, -iency, n; -ient, adj. Cpds of connective, sometimes of thematic -i-, q.v.+-ence, -ency, qq.v. at -ance, and -ent, q.v. at -ant (1).

-ier

(1): F -ier: L -ārius or, occ, the VL -erius. See -eer (1). Exx: cavalier, adopted from F, from It cavaliere from LL caballārius, from caballus, a horse; chevalier, adopted from OF, from caballārius; grenadier, adopted from F, from F grenade, from ML (pomum) grānātum, a much-grained, i.e. seeded, apple.

-ier

(2), n suffix occurring in words of ME origin of various sources, general conn ‘doer’:

(a)from OF-MF -ier, as in cottier, OF cotier, from cote, a cote, as in dovecote, sheepcote;

(b)as in collier: see -er (6);

(c)i for final y of a v+agential -er: see -er (4). Ex: carrier.

-ies

occurs only in a few nn adopted from L, as aciēs, acuity of vision (with stem ac- as in L ācer and E acerate), and as rabiēs, madness. Its general conn is ‘an example of the adj implied’.

-iff

, adj hence n, as esp in caitiff, derives from ONF or OF -if, itself from ML -īvus (captīvus) from L -īuus. Ex: plaintiff (adj become n), OF plaintif (adj). Cf -ive below.

-ify

Origins 3930

[. See Elements at fac-.]

-ige

, as in Félibrige, the brotherhood of Félibres or Provençal writers, seems to come from L -igium, an objective n-suffix. (Félibre, from Prov Felibre, prob from ML felibris, a nursling.)

-iginous

, adj of L nn in -īgō, which has conn ‘physical weakness or deterioration’; the adj is based upon -īgin-, the o/s of -īgō; the n itself is built upon the pres inf s of vv in -ere. Exx: impetiginous, ML impetīginōsus, adj of L impetīgō, from impetere, to assail; vertiginous, ML vertiginōsus (L uert-), from ML vertigō (L uertīgō), from L uertere, ML vertere, to turn.

-ikin

is an extended form of -kin, q.v. Ex: manikin, prob from D manneken, but reshaped thus: man+connective -i-+kin.

-il

(1), adj. See -ile (1), adj.

-il

(2), n=chem -ile, q.v.

-ile

(1), adj; -il, adj. The former comes usu direct from L -ilis, neu -ile; the latter through F - il, F -ile, or OF -ile. General conn: ‘tending to’ do or be whatever the implied v or n denotes. Thus: fragile, (perh via F) from L fragilis, from frangere, to break, but frail via OF fraile; mobile, L mōbilis, neu mōbile; fossil, F fossile; civil, F civil, ML cīvīlis, L cīuīlis; gentile, L gentīlis.

-ile

(2), n; -il: chem suffixes. The -ile nn are formed as—some of them, on—nitrile, nitr-+- ile adj used as n; -il is a var, as in nitril, anisil.

-ility

, abstract n, is a cpd of -il(e), adj+-ity, q.v. below. Exx: civility, OF civilité, ML cīvīlitās. o/s cīvīlitāt- (L cīuīlitāt-); fragility, L fragilité, L fragilitās, o/s fragilitāt-.

-im

, as in cherubim (sing cherub, H kerūbh) and seraphim , is a n suffix indicating the pl and belonging to H; the var -in (cherubin, seraphin) is incorrect.

-in

(1). See prec.

-in

(2), as in cousin, dolphin, goblin, vermin, and (things) bulletin, resin, represents adj (see the var -ine) become n and derives, often through F -in, f -ine, always ult from L -inus, f - ina, L -inum. Exx: bulletin, adopted from F, from It bullettino, dim of bulla, taken over from L; cousin, OF cousin, earlier cosin, ML cosīnus, L consobrīnus; goblin, F gobelin, ML gobelīnus, perh Gr kobalos; resin, F résine, L rēsīna, Gr rhētinē; vermin, OF vermin (e), perh from ML vermen, o/s vermin-, rather than from ML vermis (L uermis).

-in

(3): -inem, acc of L nn in -ō. Exx: margin, ME margine, L marginem (o/s margin-), acc

A list of suffixes 3931

of margō; origin, F origine, L originem; virgin, OF virgine, L uirginem. (Nesfield.)

-in

(4). In Pharm, -in occurs in ‘names of remedial preparations, often corresponding to adjectives in -ic, as in antipyrin’ (Webster): a usage closely akin to that of chem -in, q.v. at -ine, chem n.

-ina

(1), f suffix in L (? on archetypal fēmina), reappearing in It and Sp and in mod imitations, esp in Proper Names; when it is a queen’s or other royal name, the influence of regina is perceptible. Exx: Wilhelmina and Sp Guillelmina; czarina, tsarina. It corresponds to m - inus, q.v. esp at -ine (2). Cf -ine (4) and:

-ina

(2), neupl suffix of L adj -inus. Zoo uses it, with animalia understood, in names of orders and sub-orders, thus: Acarina, from Mod L Acarus, from Gr akari, a cheese mite. Cf:

-inae

, fpl suffix of L adj -inus. Zoo uses it, with bēstiae (beasts) understood, in names of subfamilies, thus: Felinae, from fel-, s of Felidae, the cat family, a Mod L term coined from L fēlis, a cat. Cf -ina (2).

-ine

(1), adj of—or imitative of—Gr origin: Gr -inos, often via L -inus: conn ‘made of, of the nature of, like’ (e.g., a material specified by the n implied). Exx: adamantine, L adamantinus, Gr adamantinos, from adamant-, o/s of adamas; amethystine, L amethystinus, Gr amethustinos; ivorine, OF ivorin, f ivorine (Mod ivoirin, -e); opaline, from opal, after amethystine, crystalline, etc. Cf:

-ine

(2), adj, of L origin -īnus, f -īna, neu -īnum—often via F -in, f -ine: conn ‘of’ or ‘belonging to’, hence ‘like’. Thus: canine, L canīnus, from canis (s can-), a dog; feminine, OF feminin, f feminine (Mod F féminin, -e), L fēminīnus, from fēmina, a woman. Etym, this suffix is identical with -ine (1); it belongs, however, to indigenous L words, not to learnèd L words of Gr origin.

-ine

(3), abstract n, as in discipline and medicine; L -īna, usu via F -ine. Thus: discipline, adopted from OF, from L disciplīna, from discipulus, a learner; medicine, adopted from OF (cf Mod F médecine), L medicīna, from medicus, a physician; rapine, (perh through F rapine) from L rapīna, from rapere, to seize.

-ine

(4), n: a f suffix, usu from F -ine, but answering to L -ina (see -ina (1) above). Exx: heroine, (perh via F héroīne) from L hēroina, from Gr hēroinē, the f of hērōs; landgravine, prob either from D landgravin or from G Landgräfin, the f of Landgraf, but perh adopted from F landgravine; Albertine, adopted from F; Caroline, adopted from F, prob from It Carolina, ? dim of Carola, f of ML Carolus.

-ine

(5), n. In Chem, -ine or -in denotes, as in chlorine, an element or, as in arsine, a cpd. In Organic Chem, it is (a) a var of -yne, q.v.; (b) a basic cpd, as quinine. Organic bases: - ine; neutral substances: -in, as in gelatin (but also gelatine, cf F gélatine, from L gelāta).

Origins 3934

and shortish, and esp in colour-adjj, as bluish, greenish, whitish. These link with such adjj from nn as bookish and feverish, with their conn ‘verging upon’ or ‘tending to resemble’.

-ish

(2), n. From the adj, esp in languages, as English, Gaulish, Swedish, Turkish; or from the v, as in polish. But in several words it represents L -ix (gen -icis), as in radish, It radice,

L rādix (o/s rādic-).

-ish

(3), v: ME -issen or -isshen, OF-F -iss-, occurring in the presp, the ind pres pl, the pres subj; -iss- app derives from or is modelled upon VL -isc-, pres inf -iscere, in (at least orig) inch vv—cf -esce (L-ēscere) above. Exx: finish, OF fenir, or, as very soon, finir, or rather from such forms as finissant, finisse, finissent, finissons, finessez, (perhaps via VL *finiscere) from L finīre; flourish, ME florisshen or flurisshen, OF florir or flurir, from VL *florīre for L florēre; cf abolish, establish, nourish, perish, polish, punish. Hence, anl, in certain vv of E origin, as in famish from famine.

-isk

, n: Gr -iskos, usu via L -iscus; basic conn: little’. Exx: asterisk, (lit) a little star, L asteriscus, Gr asteriskos, dim of astēr, a star; basilisk, L basiliscus, Gr basiliskos, (lit) a little king, transferred to a kind of serpent, from basileus (s basil-), a king; disc, L discus,

Gr diskos; obelisk, L obeliscus, Gr obeliskos, from obelos, a pillar. In tamarisk, from LL tamariscus, the ulterior origin is unknown. As perh in discus, the -isk need not always be dim; the form is Gr, the very few L potentials being prob anl,

-ism

=Gr -ismos, often via L -ismus or F -isme—or both; its conn is abstract; in general, it answers to vv in -ize and esp to agents in -ist, with their adjj in -istic. Its principal manifestations are these: whereas, formed from vv, it indicates action, as in baptism, OF baptesme, LL from Gr baptismos, from baptizein, to baptize, formed from nn it indicates the manner of action, as in despotism, or the conduct to be expected of the person implied, as in heroism or Micawberism. Very common too is the conn ‘state, condition’ (or the fact of being such-and-such), as in hypnotism or barbarism. Flowing from the general ‘action’ and ‘state’ connotations is that of ‘doctrine’ or ‘mental or moral practice or habit’, as in materialism, or ‘adherence to’ (a doctrine, a theory), as in Catholicsm. Hence, ‘characteristic, esp a peculiarity’, as in Briticism. In Med it denotes an abnormal state or condition, consequent upon excess in (the thing denoted by the n implied), as in alcoholism.

The adj is usu -istic; the agential n, -ist. Cf F -isme, -istique, -iste. (Based upon Webster.)

-ison

; an OF equivalent (varr -isoun, -aisun, etc.) to F -aison, usu -ation (cf -ation above), from L -ātiōnem, acc of nn in -ātiō. Ex: comparison, OF comparisun, L comparātiōnem, acc of comparātiō, a comparing.

-issimus

occurs only in nn taken direct from the m sup of L adjj, as Simplicissimus.

-ist

Origins 3936

-ite

(3), n. In Chem it is an arbitrary var of -ate.

-ite

(4), v, as in expedite, usu derives from L -itus, pp of vv in -ĕre or in -īre. Exx: expedite, from L expeditus, from expedīre; unite, from unitus, from unīre.

-itic

: Gr -itikos, often through L -iticus and F -itique. Conn: of, of the nature of, (hence) resembling or characterized by. It corresponds to nn in -ite, as sybarite and Sybaritic: L

Sybarita, Gr Subaritēs, and L Sybariticus, Gr Subaritikos; and also to nn in -itis, as arthritis and arthritic (Gr arthritikos, via L arthriticus and F arthritique).

-ition

. (Cf -ation, esp, but also -etion and -ution.) This suffix derives from L -itiōn-, the o/s (gen -itiōnis) of abstract nn in -itiō, themselves from vv with pp in -itus. It is therefore a cpd. Exx: abolition, adopted from F, from abolitiōn-, o/s of abolitiō, from abolēre; condition, OF condicion, L conditiō (inferior for condiciō), o/s conditiōn-. The basic conn is that of action viewed abstractly. Cf:

-itious

, as in fictitious, connotes ‘of, of the nature of; characterized by’. It derives from L -icius, formed either from a n or from a pp. Exx: adventitious, ML adventicius, L aduentīcius, from the n aduentus; fictitious, L fictīcius, from fictiō—cf factitious.

-itis

, designating a disease, esp if inflammatory, of the part designated by the n forming the base of the word, as in arthritis, adopted, via L, from Gr: an -itis of an arthron or joint; orig, -itis was the f sing of the adj suffix -itēs, the n understood being the f nosos, disease; arthritis, therefore, is (hē) arthritis (nosos), the disease of the joints. Hence, jocularly, with conn ‘mania’, as in electionitis.

-itish

is a cpd: ite, adj and n+-ish adj; it answers to nn in -ite (see the 2nd -ite). Ex: Moabitish: Moabite (i.e., Moab+-ite) itself derives from LL Moabites, from Gr Mōabitēs, from the Heb adj Mō'ābī. Clearly, then, -itish may be related to -itic, L -iticus, Gr -itikos: cf the var

Moabitic.

-itive

, strictly, is only app a suffix: the -it- is thematic, as in punitive, ML punītīvus, built upon the pp punītus (s punīt-); at best it is a cpd. If, however, one admits -ative, -etive, -utive, one must admit -itive. (I regard all these forms as thematic extensions of -ive.)

-ito

is a Sp dim (m), both of adjj and of nn: adopted in such words as bonito (adj—and perh the n), from bueno (L bonus), good—mosquito, from mosca, a fly (L mused)—negrito, from negro, black (L niger). Cf -ita.

-itol

is a chem cpd suffix: chem -ite+chem -ol: as in mannitol. (Webster.) Strictly, -ol (oil) is an element.

-itous

=L -itōsus, often via F -iteux, f -iteuse. Of this cpd, only -ous is truly a suffix, for -it-

A list of suffixes 3937

belongs to the s of the n in -ity. Conn: of, of the nature of, characterized by. Exx: calamitous, F calamiteux, f -euse, L calamitōsus, from calamitās; necessitous either=necessit(y)+-ous or derives from F nécessiteuse, f of nécessiteux—cf ML necestuōsus.

-itude

‘ from L -itūdō forms abstract nouns from adjectives: beatitude, fortitude, lassitude, solicitude. In multitude it has developed a concrete meaning’ (Sweet). The adj is - itudinous, as in multitudinous, which=multitud(e)+-inous, or even multitudin-(o/s of L multitūdō)+-ous. Strictly the -it- is thematic both in beatitude, fortitude, and in multitudinous, etc. The n suffix, therefore, is properly -ude, the adj suffix either -inous or

-ous.

-iture

, as in garniture, adopted from F, from garnir, to garnish, and as in the rare nouriture, from F nourriture, from nourrir, to nourish, appears to be a cpd of -it-+-ure, for the F nn are either based upon or formed on the analogy of L nn -itūra, where -it- derives from a pp in -itus. See, therefore, -ure.

-ity represents

L -itās, often via F -ité. In L, the -i- is usu thematic, only occ connective: the true suffix, therefore, is -ty, q.v. Formed from adjj, nn in -ity are abstract, connoting ‘nature or condition or state, quality or degree’. Exx: calamity, F calamité, L calamitāt-, o/s of calamitās; ubiquity, which=L ubiqu(e), every where+-ity—cf F ubiquité.

-ium

is the L form (neu n of 2nd dec) corresponding to and often derived from Gr -ion. Sci usu prefers the L to the Gr form. Ex: geranium, adopted from L, which thus adapted Gr geranion. Hence the use of -ium to indicate the chem elements, as helium, from Gr hēlios, the sun.

-ius

, as in radius, occurs only in nn adopted from L; since the -i- is thematic, the true suffix is

-us, q.v.

-ive

, adj—hence often n: ML -īvus, f -īva, neu -īvum, L -īuus, etc.: often via F -ive, f of -if. Primary conn: having the nature or quality of a thing (implied by a v); hence, secondary conn: tending to the action indicated (by a v). Exx: active, (perh via F actif, -ive) from ML actīvus (L actīuus), from act-, the s of the pp actus of agere, to drive, do actively, practise; conclusive, ML conclusīvus, LL conclusīuus, from concludere; adj become n: abrasive, prob abras(ion)+-ive.

-ivious

, as in oblivious, is only app a suffix, for the -iv- (L -iu) is thematic, the suffix being -ous, q.v.—The same stricture applies to -ivity, as in declivity, though not to the -ivity of activity, where it is a cpd suffix, answering to the -ivitās of ML activitās.

-ivity

. See prec.

-ix

, which has been adopted from L (itself deriving from or analogous with Gr -ix), occurs

Origins 3938

only in a very few learned words. Exx: calix, radix, spadix.

-ization

, abstract n, is a cpd of iz-, as in -ize, q.v., and -ation; var: -isation—cf civilisation, civilization.

-ize

; var -ise: Gr -izein, LL (hence It) -izare, F -iser: the last stage accounts for the formerly very frequent, now rapidly diminishing, forms in -ise (advertise, devise, surprise). In a vt, the conn is either ‘to subject (someone, -thing) to something’, as in baptize, or ‘render (someone, -thing) like or conformable with’, as in sterilize, the s indicating, in both classes, the direction taken or attempted; hence, in Chem, to treat something in a specific manner, as in oxidize. In a vi, the conn is ‘to act in a certain way; to practise or profess something’ (indicated by the s), as in boanize. Exx: advertise, perh a back-formation from advertisement; botanize, perh botan(y)+-ize but prob from F botaniser’, catechize, LL catechizāre, Gr katēkhizein; cauterize, LL cauterizāre, Gr kautēriazein; solecize, Gr soloikizein. Except in vv from Proper Adjj and Nn, Gr -izein has always an intensive force, often with a freq conn. Some -izein vv derive from a simple v, as we see in catechize. Basically, therefore, -izein is a cpd: intensive (? orig echoic) -iz-+ ordinary inf

-ein.

-ized

, pp adj from -ize, as in civilized.

-izing

(1), presp adj from -ize, as in ‘a cauterizing agent’.

-izing

(2), vn from -ize, as in ‘His greatest weakness lies in his habit of philosophizing instead of acting’.

-k

(1), adj, as in quick, slack, slick, and as in weak, derives from OE -c, which occurs in not a single native ModE adj. In the first three examples, the suffix is perh -ck rather than -k.

-k

(2), n, occurs mainly in words formed from adjj or vv—and from OE -c or ME -c. Esq a dim, as in stirk, a young bullock: OE stirc or styric, dim of stēor, a steer.

-k

(3), v. Many native vv in -k are echoic. A few are either freq or intensive or both, as hark (heark, heark-en), lurk, skulk, smirk, stalk, (?) talk, walk. Usu from ME -ken, OE -cian, - ccian, or -cnian, themselves either from OE -can or -cian or -cnian or from ON -ka.

-kin

, -kins; F -quin. The dim suffix -kin, the same in ME, derives from MD -kin or -kijn akin to OHG -kīn or-chīn, G -chen. Exx: firkin, late ME ferdekyn, on MD *vierdekijn; lambkin=lamb+-kin; kilderkin, from MD kilderkijn; manikin, from D manneken, represents, in its E form, man+connective -i-+-kin. Mannequin also derives from the D word. The -kins form, as in sonnikins, has been influenced by such personal names as

Jenkins, Sim(p)kins, Tom(p)kins, Wilkins, which mean ‘son of Jenkin, Sim(p)kin, etc.’; the latter are themselves dimm for John, Tom, Will(iam), etc.

-l

A list of suffixes 3939

(1), adj: OE -l, app for -el, as in foul, OE fūl. Cf -el and -le, adjj.

-l

(2), n: OE -el. It is either agential or instrumental or, occ, indicative of the result of action. Exx: (agential, etc) awl, OE awel, (lit) that which pierces—fowl, OE fugol, that which flies—hail—pail—sail—tail—stool’; (dim) ? girl, ME girle, gerle, gurle—snail,

OE snaeg(e)l or snegel, (lit) the little creeper. Cf -le, n.

-l

(3), v: usu freq, though occ merely continuative. Many such vv are also echoic. (Cf -le, much commoner and with a wider conn.) Exx: drawl, app from draw; ? hurl, ME hurlen; kneel, OE cnēowlian, prob from cnēow, the knee; mewl, akin to mew, snarl, from obs syn snar; wail, ME wailen or weilen, from ON vāēla or vāla; whirl, ME whirlen, from ON.

-le

(1), adj. When part of -able, -eble, -ible, -uble, qq.v., it usu= L ilis. Cf:

-le

(2), adj, as in humble and gentle, derives from L -ilis through F -le, as in humble, adopted from OF, from L humilis, or through F -il, f -ille, as in gentle, OF gent il, L gentīlis.

Conn: of (the nature of) the nn indicated by the s. Cf -el (1).

-le

(3), adj. More important than (2) is the native group of adjj from ME -el (or -il) or OE -ol, ‘indicating a tendency to the action expressed by the verb from which the adjective is derived, as in brickle [ME brekil, brokel, from OE brecan, to break], brittle [ME britel, from OE brēotan, to break], fickle [ME fikel, OE ficol]’: Webster.

-le

(4), n: OE -el, dim, sometimes corresponding to L -ilia or -illus. Exx: axle, ME axel, akin to L axilla, dim of axis; freckle, app frek- (s of ME freken from ON freknuo)+-le; ? icicle; kettle, ult from L cat illus, dim of catinus, a deep vessel.

-le

(5), n: OE -el, agent or instrument. Exx: beadle, OE bydel; girdle, OE gyrdel, akin to—if not indeed derived from—gyrdan, to encircle.

-le

(6), n. Echoic nn in -le usu derive from the vv. Cf:

-le

(7), n. Of various L, through F, origins, as in the exx: battle, OF bataille, L battālia, from battuere, to strike; bottle, ME botel, OF bouteille, LL buticula; cattle, ONF catel, L capitāle; couple, adopted from OF from L copula; mantle, through OF from L mantellum, of obscure origin, but prob dim; pestle, OF pestel, L pistillum (or -illus), another dim; trestle, from L of -illum suffix.

-le

(8), v: orig, always either freq or dim, and often echoic, as in crumble and crumple— joggle and jostle—sparkle and twinkle. Usu of Gmc origin; occ F, with E -le added, as in gobble (gob+ euphonic b+-le), from F gober, to swallow. Cf:

-le

(9), v: causal: a special application of prec. Exx: startle and stifle.

-ledge

Origins 3940

, in knowledge, is obscure. ME exhibits such various forms as -lage, -lege, -leche; nor does the word precede ME. I suggest that ME knowlage=knowage, where -age is collective (see -age (a) above) and that the intrusive -l- has arisen by false analogy with the -lege of such words as privilege and sacrilege. Sweet derives the n knowledge from the v knowledge, as others have done; he also explains -ledge as deriving from -laecan, as in genēalaecan, to approach, and -laecan as deriving from lāc, gift, (earlier) action in general.

-lent

, adj, as in corpulent: L -lentus (f -lenta, neu -lentum) or -lent-, o/s of -lens; conn: ‘showing a tendency towards’ something indicated by a n; or towards action denoted by a v. Exx: corpulent, via F from L corpulentus, from corpus, the body; esculent, L esculentus, from ēsca, food; opulent, either L opulentus or, its originator, opulent-, o/s of opulens, from ops, riches; pestilent, L pestilent-, o/s of pestilens, from pestis, a grave epidemic disease.

[-less. See Elements.]

-let

, adj: a cpd, formed from F -el (L -ellus, -ella, -ellum) and F -et, both dim: see -el, n, and - et, n, above. Purely and basically dim in, e.g., bracelet, orig an OF -et dim of bracel, (lit) a little arm, from L brachiāle, and ringlet, which=ring+ -let, -let derivatively denotes

‘something worn on or around’ (the n designated by the s), as in armlet, which=arm+-let, and partly in bracelet.

[-like, adj. and adv. See Elements. The true suffix is -ly, adj and adv, qq.v.]

-ling

(1), adj, derives either, as in darkling, from -ling, adv, or, as in darling, from -ling, n.

-ling

(2); -lings, adv The latter, occurring only in advv, arises in the gen of an OE n (cf the adv of a day); it forms a var of -ling, adv, which, deriving from OE -ling, is ‘prob akin to Lith -link, linkti, to bend, incline’ (Webster). The basic conn is ‘direction’, as in the Scots and E dial backlin(g)s, but the derivative conn ‘state, condition’ (? hence) ‘manner’, predominates, although, even here, ‘direction’ is felt. Exx: darkling, in the dark (? orig, towards the dark, into the dark); grovel(l)ing or grovel(l)ings, prostrately, app from an old adv groof, approximately syn, itself from ON.

-ling

(3), n: OE -ling, akin to OHG -ling and Go -liggs: conn, ‘A person or other living creature belonging to or possessing the qualities of’ whatever is indicated by the s, as in darling, OE dēorling, (lit) a dear one, and worldling, worlds+-ling; hence, dim—often a pej dim—as in gosling, ME gos, a goose+-ling, and princeling, prince +-ling. Cf -long below.—Skeat regards OE -ling, at least in its use, as a cpd of dim -el and of -ing (3)—a suffix he postulates to be orig dim.

-lings

, See -ling (2).

-lock

, in wedlock: ME -lok, OE -lāc, with conn ‘action’, as in the OE rēaflāc, robbery, from rēafian (s rēaf-), to plunder.

A list of suffixes 3941

-long

, adv: conn direction’: very closely akin to 2nd -ling, q.v. Exx: sidelong (side+-long), perh a var of sideling (side+adv -ling), sideways; headlong, ME hedling.

-ly

(1), adj. ME -lich: OE -lic, usu -līc, from līc, body (as in lich gate: see LIKE in Dict): conn, ‘resembling’—hence ‘characteristic of’. Exx: fatherly, OE faederlīc, father-like; manly=man+ -ly. Attached to nn of time, it means ‘(happening) every’, as in nightly, OE nihtlīc.

-ly

(2), adv: ME -liche=OE -līce or -lice; or, very commonly, anl. Conn: ‘in the manner of’ the adj or rarely the n forming the base. Exx: badly= bad+-ly; quickly, OE cwiculīce; slowly, OE slāwlīce; (from n) partly=part+-ly. By far the most frequent of E adv suffixes.

-m

(1). See -asm and -ism, also -em, -im, -om, -um.

-m

(2). In doom (OE dōm), -m app connotes ‘result of the v’ (deem); it is akin to the -m of Gr themis (s them-), law; in foam (OE fām), to that of L spūma, s spūrm-; in haulm (OE healm), to that of L culmus (s culm-), a stalk, and Gr kalamos (s kalam-), a reed, and kalamē, a stalk. ‘The A.S. [i.e., OE] suffix is -m, answering to Goth -ma, L -ma-s, Gr - µo-o [mo-s] (-µη[-mē])': Skeat, who, to haulm, compares also Ru soloma, straw. The basic conn is app ‘a (striking) manifestation of whatever the s denotes; this conn is also present, I think, in bream, dream, scream, stream—in gleam—and in beam, ream, seam, team, even though these words lack cognates in L and Gr and even though the -m is, in several, thematic; several are akin to Skt words. The influence of this -m suffix may have affected also cream, from Gr khrisma. Cf -me (2) below.

-m

(3) is a ‘shortened’ var of -me and is to be related to -ma, for it comes from the Gr suffix - ma. Exx: axiom, phlegm, problem. See ma-.

-m

(4): L -men, through F -me. Exx: charm, OF charme, L carmen, song, perhaps from and almost certainly akin to canere, to sing; realm, OF realme, VL *regālimen, L regālis, akin to regere, to rule. Whereas carmen is a singing, *regālimen is a ruling—hence, a region, a country, ruled: the conn would therefore seem to be ‘result or product of the implied v. Cf the L -me below.

-ma

, as in aroma, asthma, diploma, dogma, drama, enema, enigma, panorama, stigma, comes straight from Gr; these words, inf act, have been adopted from Gr. Anglicized forms occur either as -m (see prec) or as -me (2), q.v. below, or as -em, q.v. above, App - ma connotes ‘the product, or the result, of’ (the implied v).

[-man. See MAN in Dict. In WOMAN it is perh less obviously ‘man’.]

-mans

, occurring only in the language of the underworld, appears at its most obvious in darkmans, darkness, the dark, and lightmans, the (full) light of day. It corresponds to the -

Origins 3942

ment of F advv and, of Skt origin, is therefore a form taken by the IE s of L mens, E MIND.

[-mas. See Elements and cf (the religious) MASS.]

-mat

. See:

-mate

, as in climate, and -mat-, as in climatic, dramatic, emblematic, prismatic, etc., represents IE mn-to, seen esp in Gr -ma-to. ‘The suffix -το [-to] is added to oblique cases of sbs [substantives= nouns] ending in -µα [ma] … This suffix -µατo [-mato] answers to L - mentum’ (Skeat): cf, therefore, -mans above and the L mens, E MIND.

-me

(1), adj, as in extreme, prime, supreme, derives from the L sup -mus: extrēmus, prīmus, suprēmus.

-me

(2), n, from Gr -ma (cf, however, anagram), occ via L -ma and occ also via F -me or - mme. Usu the conn is ‘result or product of’ the implied v. Exx: gram(me), F gramme, LL gramma, Gr gramma; clime, L clima, Gr klima, from klinein, to slope; programme, F programme, LL programma, Gr programma, from prographein; scheme, LL schēma, Gr skhēma, akin to—perh from—skhein, to have, hold, check.

-me

(3), n, from L -men, occ via F -me. Exx: crime, adopted from OF, from L crimen, from cernere, to decide in a court of law; legume, F légume, L legūmen, prob from legere, to gather; volume, adopted from OF, from ML volumen, L uolūmen, from uoluere, to roll. The conn, evidently, is ‘the result or product of’ the v implied.

-me

(4), n, as in dime, adopted from OF, from L decima (pars), the tenth part, and in prime, the first hour of the day, OE prim, L prīma (hora), represents L -ma, f of the adj suffix - mus. Cf (1).

-me

(5), as in name, OE nama (akin to L nōmen and Gr onoma), is a rare suffix, akin to, yet distinct from, -me (3). Cf also -ma and -men.

-meal

, as in piecemeal, has conn ‘the portion taken at one time’. Formerly used more freely (as in the obsol inchmeal) in the formation of quantitative advv, it derives, through ME - mele, from OE -maelum, orig the dat pl of mael, a measure—the orig form of MEAL. Strictly, therefore, -meal is rather an element than a suffix.

-men

is an adoption of the L -men, occurring only and very properly in words taken over bodily from L, as acumen, from acuere, to sharpen; bitumen; gravamen, the ML form of LL grauāmen, from L grauāre, to burden; omen; regimen, from regere, to guide; specimen, from specere, to look. Conn: result or product of the action implied by the originating v: cf, therefore, -me (3).

-mena

and -menon come straight from Gr and are rare and erudite. They represent the neu pl

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and the neu sing respectively of the presp of the middle, or of the passive, voice of Gr vv. Exx : prolegomena, pl construed as sing and much commoner than the sing prolegomenon, a preliminary discourse or introductory treatise, from prolegomenos, the passive pres of prolegein, to say or state before-hand, the adj being prolegomenary or prolegomenous; hapax legomenon (pl hapax legomena), lit something said only once,

hence a word, or occ a form, recorded only once, the Gr being λεγóµεvov; phenomenon, LL phaenomenon, Gr phainomenon, neu presp of phainesthai, to appear or seem, from phainein, to show, the pl being phenomena, Gr phainomena.

-ment

(cf -mente) is strictly an element, but, as -mentum, it occurs so often in L that it there became a suffix with the orig meaning (L mens, E mind) darkened or lost; often it comes into E through OF or F -ment. This n suffix occurs in nn formed mostly from vv. The L - mentum consists of -men- (cf -men above) and -tum and corresponds to Gr -ma-to-. Its conn is fundamentally ‘result or product of the action of the implied v and may be divided into:

concrete result or product, as in increment, L incrēmentum, from incrēscere, to increase; attachment, F attachement, from attacker, to attach; entanglement, which=entangle+-ment; or a physical means or instrument, as in ornament, OF ornement, L ornāmentum, from ornāre (s orn-), and nutriment, L nūtrīmentum, from nūtrīre—cf nourishment, OF norrissement (influenced by F nourrir), from OF norrir, from L nūtrīre;

action: as in abridgement, OF abregement, from abregier, from ML abbreviāre, L abbreuiāre; government, OF governement, from OF governer, from L gubernāre; statement=state (v) + -ment;

state, quality, condition: amazement=(to) amaze + -ment; (hence) manner, as in arrangement, adopted from F, from the v arranger.

-menta

. See -mentum.

-mental

, adj, answers to -ment and -mentum. In E words, the formation is usu: the -ment n+-al, adj suffix, as in excremental and incremental. Instrumental comes direct from F, where it=F instrument+F -al. Cf:

-mentality

(cf -ity and -ty), as in instrumentality, derives from prec and answers to -ment.

-mente

occurs only in Mus and as an Italicism; e.g., rapidamente, adv of rapido, and subitamente, from subito. It -mente= F -ment, a suffix denoting manner: cf -ment above. The adv force arises from the fact that the It -mente derives from L -mente, (lit) with a mind, (hence) with or in an attitude of mind, (hence) in a manner indicated by the adj forming the s; as in the mus appassionatamente, with a mind, hence with a heart, impassioned; cf -mans above.

-mentum

(cf prec) is the L source of -ment, q.v., and is preserved, occ alongside an E form, in a few erudite, esp if Med, terms. Exx: argumentum (ad hominem), pl argumenta (esp in

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Logic); excrēmentum, usu the pl excrēmenta. The L -mentum comes from -mento, a cpd of the IE suffixes -men (cf -men above)+-to; cf Gr -mato (-ma+-to), as at -mate above.

-mme

, as in programme and in (other) F words, e.g. telegramme, is merely the F form of E -me (2); cf -m (3).

-mo

, as in the Americanism sixteenmo for E sextodecimo (cf duodecimo), is a bookbinding suffix, indicating ‘the number of leaves made by folding a sheet of paper’ (Webster); theoretically it can apply only to decimo (10), practically to duodecimo (12), upwards, and it represents the abl of L ordinals (m in -imus).

[-monger. See Elements.]

-monious

, adj, from -mony, n, the latter, often via F -monie or -moine, from L -mōnia or -mōnium, the former sometimes deriving from L adj in -mōniōsus, occ via F -monieux or the f - monieuse. The L n-suffix denotes a resultant, whether concrete or abstract. Exx: acrimony, (perh via F acrimonie, from) L ācrimōnia, from ācer, sharp, the adj acrimonious passing through F from ML ācrimōniōsus; alimony, L alimōnia, from alere, to nourish; matrimony, OF matrimoine, L matrimōnium, from māter, mother.

[-most. See Elements.]

-mus

occurs in a few nn adopted from L, as Decimus and primus. In L, of course, it is an adj suffix.

-n

(1), adj, as in leathern and silvern, is short for the -en of e.g. golden. See -en (2). Cf:

-n

(2), adj, as in fain, derives from OE -en, akin to OS -an and ON -inn.

-n

(3), in the pp of certain strong vv, mostly used as adjj and also as nn, as blown, flown, known, sown: cf -en (11), q.v.

-n

(4), adv, as in then and when (and basically in hence, thence, whence), derives from OE - nne, perh, as Nesfield suggests, akin to the acc m, as in OE hwone, acc m of hwā, who. But a comparison with the n in OE siththan, Scots syne, since; with that of G dann, then, wann, when, and numerous other Gmc forms in -n or -n- for ‘then’ and ‘when’; with that of L nunc, now, dein, deinde, then, quando, when?, with that of Gr nun, now, epan, epen, after that; with forms in Sl and esp in Skt: such a comparison leads us to suppose that -n or -n- is an IE formative element indicative of time expressed in advv.

-n

(5), n, as in thegn (thane), OE thegen or thegn, is of OE (and Common Gmc) origin and only the vaguest meaning; in this particular word, it perh=-en (7), the agential -en, as also in main, that which can: cf rain, that which dampens or wets—sun, that which shines

(?)—thorn, that which pierces—wain, that which carries (Nesfield). Sweet notes that it interchanges with -en and (native) -on.

-n

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(6), v, is short for -en (10), q.v.—the -en of lengthen and shorten—and derives from OE - an or usu -ian or ME -en, Exx: fawn, OE fagnian or fahnian; drown, ME drunen or drounen; learn., OE leornian; own., OE āgnian; turn, OE turnian or tyrnan; win, OE winnan.

-nce

, -ncy. See -ance, -ancy, an entry including -ence, -ency and, of course, -ience, -iency.

-nd

, n, is ‘short’ for -and (Northern), -ende (Midland), -inde (Southern), varr of the old presp suffix of vv. See -and (2) above. Of the predominant Midland -end (or -nd), Sweet remarks that ‘-end “-er” is the noun-form of the present participle ending -ende, and forms nouns denoting agents from verbs, such as hāēland “healer”… It became extinct in ME, its place being supplied by the ending -ere. But it still survives disguised in friend =OE frēond, literally “lover”, and fiend=OE fēond “enemy”, literally “hater”.'

-ness

: OE -ness or -nes, or -nis, or -nys(s), akin to OHG -nissa (G -nis or -niss), OS -nissi,

Go -inassus (cf the OHG var -nassi); orig the -n (occ -in) was thematic and therefore did not beong to the suffix proper. Fundamentally abstract and indicative of state or condition, quality or degree, as in greatness, goodness, illness, it yet forms a few nn (as wilderness and witness) that clearly retain the idea of abstractness. Orig it went only with native, but fairly soon it came to be added to, adjj of L derivation also, for which, nevertheless, -ity is still preferred, as in spirituality for spiritualness. Exx: goodness, OE gōdnes; illness=ill+-ness; witness, OE witness or gewitness—cf OE gelīcnis, whence likeness; jocosely in ‘the whyness of life’. (Webster.)

-o

(1) occurs in words adopted from the L abl of 2nd-declension nn in -us or -um, as in quarto and octavo (for in quarto, in octavo; cf folio for in folio)—in loco parentis—pro bono publico.

-o

(2) occurs in nn or, occ, adjj adopted or slightly adapted from It or Port or Sp. It and Sp -o mostly derives from, or has been formed as if from, L 2nd-declension -us or -um. Exx: cameo, It cammeo; cargo, Sp word; casino, dim of It casa, a house; flamingo, adopted from Port, itself from Sp flamenco; fresco, It; gusto, It; Sp junta, whence E junto; manifesto, It; mulatto, Port and Sp; negro, Sp; oratorio, It; scenario, It; seraglio, from It serraglio; studio, It; torso, It; virtuoso, It; volcano, It.

-o

(3), as in ‘All aliveo’, very closely resembles the disguised interjection noted at -a (1) above, q.v.

-o

(4) might be described as ‘the slangy or, at best, coll -o’, as in AIr boyo, one of ‘the boys’, and as in several Aus slang terms, e.g. afto, afternoon, and goodo, good.

-o-

, connective, occ represents the L abl -o, rarely a L adv ending in o; exx: dorso-, as in dorso-caudal—proximo-, as in proximo(-)lingual—retro-, as in retroflex; undoubtedly, even here, the use of -o- with words of L origin has been influenced by the heavily