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25 entries found.

subatomic particle suffix, from ion.

noun word-forming element meaning "one who" (operates, produces, deals in); Englished form of French -ier, from Latin -arius, -iarius; compare -ary. Usually in English words of more recent borrowing from French; older words tend to keep -ier.

-et

word-forming element, originally a diminutive suffix but not now always felt as one, Middle English, from Old French -et (fem. -ete; Modern French -et, -ette), from Vulgar Latin *-ittum/*-itta (source also of Spanish -eto/-eta, Italian -etto/-etta), of unknown origin. The French forms are reduced to -et in English, but later borrowings of French words in -ette tend to keep that ending.

-graph

modern word-forming element meaning "instrument for recording; that which writes, marks, or describes; something written," from Greek -graphos "-writing, -writer" (as in autographos "written with one's own hand"), from graphe "writing, the art of writing, a writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). Adopted widely (Dutch -graaf, German -graph, French -graphe, Spanish -grafo). Related: -grapher; -graphic; -graphical.

-oon

spelling conventional in 15c.-17c. English to add emphasis to borrowed French nouns ending in stressed -on; also used to represent Italian -one, Spanish -ón; all from Latin -onem. Used in rare cases to form English words, such as spittoon, octoroon.

-centric

word-forming element meaning "having a center (of a certain kind); centered on," from Latinized form of Greek kentrikos "pertaining to a center," from kentron (see center (n.)).

dextro-

word-forming element meaning "toward or on the right-hand side," from combining form of Latin dexter (from PIE root *deks- "right, opposite of left; south").

-phagous

word-forming element meaning "eating, feeding on," from Latin -phagus, from Greek -phagos "eater of," from phagein "to eat," literally "to have a share of food," from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share."

plano-

alternative form of plani- "flat, level" (based on Latin planus), but an identical word-forming element is used in sciences as a combining form of Greek planos "wandering" (see planet).

-try

extended form of -ry sometimes used in forming modern abstract nouns, often for humorous effect, based on the many -try words where the -t- is part of the Latin stem (geometry, idolatry, industry, pedantry, etc.).

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