Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms - Department of Education ...

erio- 19
-etum
erio- combining form Gk erio-, eirio-, fr. erion, eirion : wool
Eriogonum eriometer
eruci- combining form ISV, fr. L eruca : caterpillar eruciform
erucivorous
-ery n suffix - ME -erie, fr. OF, fr. -ier -er + -ie -y 1 :qualities
collectively : character : - tomfoolery snobbery
2:art, practice, trade mountebankery compare - 3
: place of doing, keeping, growing, breeding, selling the thing
specified piggery rookery fishery bindery bakery
4:collection : aggregate finery greenery compare -
5:state : condition slavery monkery compare -
erythr- or erythro- combining form Gk erythr-, erythro-, fr. erythros
1 :red erythrism erythrophyll 2 :related to erythrose
erythronic acid 3 :erythrocyte erythremia erythropoiesis
-es n pl suffix ME -es, -s more at -s 1 used to form the
plural of most nouns that end in s glasses, z fuzzes, sh
bushes, ch peaches, or postconsonantal y which changes
to i ladies, and of some nouns ending in o heroes, and of
some nouns ending in f which changes to v loaves compare
- 1 2 :- 2 Christmases we go to grandmothers
-es vb suffix ME Northern North Midland more at -s
used to form the third person singular present indicative of
most verbs that end in s blesses, z fizzes, sh hushes, ch
catches, or postconsonantal y which changes to i defies
compare - 1
-es n pl suffix ME, -es, fr. -e, older gen. pl. ending fr. OE -a
+ -s, gen. sing. ending more at - used to form the plural
possessive of most nouns that end in s, z, sh, ch, or postconsonantal
y and of some nouns ending in f
-escence n suffix - MF, fr. L -escentia, fr. -escent-, -escens + -ia
: state or process of becoming obsolescence convalescence
-escent adj suffix MF, fr. L -escent-, -escens pres. part. suffix
of inchoative verbs ending in -escere, fr. -esc-, element forming
inchoative verbs + -ent-, -ens, pres. part. suffix of the 3d
conjugation more at - 1 :beginning, beginning to be,
becoming, slightly obsolescent arborescent alkalescent
2:reflecting or emitting light in a specified way opalescent
fluorescent
-ese adj suffix Pg -s It -ese, adj. n. suffix, fr. assumed
VL -esis, fr. L -ensis : of, relating to, or originating in a certain
place or country Japanese Viennese
-ese n suffix, pl -ese Pg -s It -ese 1 :native or resident of
a specified place or country Chinese 2 a : the language of
a particular place, country, or nationality Siamese
Cantonese b :speech, literary style, or diction peculiar to
a specified place, person, or group usu. in words applied
in dislike or contempt Carlylese federalese journalese
Pentagonese
-esis n suffix, pl -eses ME, fr. OE, fr. L, fr. Gk -esis, -sis, fr.
-e-, --, derivational element attached to certain verbs + -sis,
fem. suffix of action : action : process emesis
eso- prefix Gk eso-, fr. es within : inner esotropia
esoneural
esophag- or esophago- also oesophag- or oesophago- combining
form Gk oisophagos gullet : esophagus esophagectomy
esophagopathy : esophageal and esophagogastroscopy
-esque adj suffix F, fr. It -esco, of Gmc origin akin to OHG
-isc more at - : in the manner or style of : like : -
Romanesque Kiplingesque Lincolnesque statuesque
Hardyesque
-esque n suffix - : something in the style of arabesque
-ess n suffix - ME -esse, fr. OF, fr. LL -issa, fr. Gk : female
goddess giantess esp. in agent nouns actress poetess
-est adj suffix or adv suffix ME, fr. OE -st, -est, -ost akin to
superlative suffixes OHG -isto, -sto in adjectives, -ist, -st
in adverbs, ON -str, -astr in adjectives, -st, -ast in adverbs,
Goth -ists, -osts in adjectives, -ist in adverbs, Gk -istos in
adjectives, Skt -iha in adjectives prob. fr. the suffix represented
by E -er + the suffix represented by E -ed used
to form the superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs of
one syllable fattest latest newest, of certain adjectives
and adverbs of two syllables luckiest oftenest remotest
simplest, and less often of longer ones beggarliest often
attached to words as participles in adjectival use that rarely
if ever show a corresponding comparative formation in -er
cussedest fightingest lyingest regularly accompanied
by coalescence with final e of the base word, change of final
postconsonantal y of the base word to i, or doubling of the
final consonant of the base word immediately after a short
stressed vowel
-est or -st suffix ME, fr. OE -est, -ast, -st, 2d sing. pres. endings
of various classes of verbs fr. earlier -es, -as, -s + -t, assimilated
form of the 2d pers. pron. th thou -est fr. earlier -es +
-t, 2d sing. past ending of weak verbs akin to OHG -ist, -st,
-st fr. earlier -is, -s, -s + -t, fr. th, thu thou, 2d sing. pres.
endings, -st fr. earlier -s + -t, 2d sing. past ending of weak
verbs, Goth -is, -os, -ais, 2d sing. pres. endings, -es, 2d sing.
past ending of weak verbs, ON -r, -ar, -ir, 2d sing. pres. endings,
-ir, 2d sing. past ending of weak verbs, L Gk -s preceded
by various thematic vowels, 2d sing. pres. ending, Skt
-si used to form the archaic second person singular indicative
of English verbs with thou gettest didst carriest
failedst canst
-estes n combining form NL, modif. of Gk edests, fr.
Homeric edmenai to eat : -eater in generic names of
birds Spermestes
esthesio- or aesthesio- combining form NL, fr. Gk aisthsis sensation,
perception, feeling, fr. aisthanesthai to perceive, feel
: sensation esthesioneurosis aesthesiology
-et n suffix - ME, fr. OF -et masc. -ete fem., fr. LL -itus
-ita 1 :small one : lesser one : - baronet cellaret
singlet 2 :group octet
eth- or etho- combining form ISV, fr. ethyl : ethyl ethaldehyde
ethochloride
-eth or -th vb suffix ME, fr. OE -eth, -ath, -th, 3d sing. pres.
indic. endings of various classes of verbs akin to OHG -it, -t,
-t, 3d sing. pres. indic. endings, early ON runic -ith, -th,
-th, -th, Goth -ith, -eith, -oth, -aith, L -t preceded by various
thematic vowels, Gk -ti-, 3d sing. pres. indic. ending of unthematic
verbs, Skt -ti preceded by various thematic vowels or
by a consonant, 3d sing. pres. indic. ending used to form
the archaic third person singular present indicative of verbs
goeth doth thinketh hath saith maketh leadeth
ethico- combining form NL, fr. L ethicus moral, ethical : ethical
and ethicoreligious : ethics ethicocentered
ethmo- combining form Gk thmo- strainer influenced in
meaning by E ethmoid, fr. thmos : ethmoidal and ethmofrontal
: ethmoid and ethmosphenoid
ethno- combining form F, fr. LGk, fr. Gk ethnos nation 1
: race, people, cultural group ethnography ethnogenic 2
: characteristic of or believed by a people, race, or group ethnometeorology
: used by or related to a people or race ethnobiology
ethnoflora
ethoxy- combining form ISV, fr. ethoxyl : containing ethoxyl
in names of chemical compounds ethoxycaffeine
-etic adj suffix L Gk L -eticus, fr. Gk -etikos, tikos, fr. -etos,
-tos, ending of certain verbals + -ikos -ic : - algetic
usu. used to form adjectives corresponding to nouns ending
in -esis as genetic : genesis
etio- or aetio- or aitio- combining form ML aetio-, fr. Gk aitio-,
fr. aitia 1 : cause etiologic etiogenic 2 : formed by
chemical degradation of a specified compound etiophyllin
etrusco- combining form, cap L Etruscus : Etruscan and
Etrusco-Roman
-ette n suffix - ME, fr. MF, fem. dim. suffix, fr. OF -ete
more at - 1 :little one of the thing or class specified
: - wagonette kitchenette dinette 2 :group of so
many octette 3 :female majorette farmerette suffragette
4 :imitation : substitute erminette beaverette
used chiefly in commercial names
-etum n suffix, pl -eta or -etums L -etum 1 :garden or group