evtl.

ausleihen / kaufen:

Manfred Scheler: Der englische Wortschatz (= Grundlagen der Anglistik und Amerikanistik. Band 9).
Schmidt, Berlin 1977, ISBN 3-503-01250-8

Hans-Dieter Gelfert: Englisch mit Aha. Beck, München 2008, ISBN 978-3-406-57148-0

castra, orum – n. – Latein → Lager (vgl. Man-chester, Ro-chester)

KEINE VERÄNDERUNG
Keine Veränderung Verfall des Endvokals -Verben Verfall bei Substantiven
Arm arm bringen bring [brɪŋ] bester, e, es best [best]
Bast bast hindern hinder [ˈhɪndəʳ] Balken balk, baulk
bei by lernen learn [lɜ:n] Bulle bull [bʊl]
bitter bitter [ˈbɪtəʳ] pissen piss [pɪs] Herde herd [hɜ:d]
Bord board [bɔ:d] (um)ringen ring [rɪŋ] Lippe lip [lɪp]
Busch bush (=bosco, bois) [bʊʃ] scheinen shine [ʃaɪn] Pisse piss [pɪs]
Busen bosom [ˈbʊzəm] scheren share [ʃeəʳ] Schere share (=[An]Teil) [ʃeəʳ]
faul foul (=schmutzig) [faʊl] senden send [send] Truppe troop
Fisch fish [fɪʃ] singen sing [sɪŋ] Weile while [(h)waɪl]
Fischer fisher [ˈfɪʃəʳ] sinken sink Westen west [west]
Flachs flax starren stare [steəʳ] Wille will [wɪl]
Frist frist stinken stink
Grass grass [grɑ:s] (ver)weilen while [(h)waɪl]
harsch harsh (=rau, hart) [hɑ:ʃ] (ge)winnen win [wɪn]
Haus house [haʊs]
Hering herring [ˈherɪŋ]
hier here [hɪəʳ]
Korn corn
Lamm lamb [læm]
Laus louse [laʊs]
Mast (Schiff) mast [mɑ:st]
Mast (Eicheln) mast (=food for swine)
Maus mouse/mice [maʊs/maɪs]
Ring ring [rɪŋ]
sauer sour [ˈsaʊəʳ]
Schild shield
Schein shine (=Glanz) [ʃaɪn]
Schrein shrine [ʃraɪn]
schrill shrill [ʃri:l]
Schuh shoe [ʃu:]
Vieh fee (=Gebühr) [fi:]
Volk folk
vor fore [fɔ:ʳ]
Wind wind [wɪnd]
Winter winter [ˈwɪntəʳ]
 VOKALE
A

aɒ a  oʊ
an on alt old
(Ge)sang song
waschen wash
a  ɔ: a  əʊ
alle all falten fold
fallen fall kalt cold
warm warm Nase nose
a  u: ae
(Ge)Spann spoon (=Löffel) Gast guest
Wamme womb Nacken neck
rasten rest
Rast rest
Stamm stem
wallen (kipieć) well (=aufsteigen)
a  ɜ:ʳ, əʳ a  i:
waren were Nadel needle
aæ a  eəʳ
Apfel apple bar bare
Asche ash Haar hair
Band band
Fang fang
Flagge flag
Hand hand
Mann man
Wachs wax
wachsen wax
a  eɪ
Acker acre (=Morgen, ca. 3500 m2)
blass blaze (=Feuer, Glanz)

eæ eɪ
denn than geben give
Esche ash leben live
Leben life
Leber liver
Jahr year [jɪəʳ]
e  ɑ:ʳ e  aɪ
fern far Efeu ivy
Herd hearth Leben life
Stern star
e  i: e  eɪ
kneten knead Ecker (=bukiew) acorn (=Eichel)
See sea (=Meer) wecken wake
 e  ɜ:
Werk work
werken work (=arbeiten)

i  aɪ iʌ
binden bind ficken fuck
finden find
blind blind

oʌ o  əʊ
(be)nommen numb (=taub, benommen) Gold gold
Honig honey golden golden
kommen come rollen roll
Sonne sun so so
oɒ oɪ
Ochse ox wollen will
o  ɑ: o  u:
Borke bark lose loose

ö  ɜ:ʳ
stören stir (=rühren)

u  ɔ: uʌ
Flur floor (=[Fuß]Boden) Burg borough (=Bezirk, Gemeinde)
Furche (=bruzda) furrow
hundert hundred
Hunger hunger
jung young
Lust lust
u  i: u  aʊ
besuchen beseech (=betteln) Hund hound (=Jagdhund)
Bruch breach rund round
Buche beech
Truppe - troop

ü  i: üɪ
fühlen feel Brücke bridge
(Ge)fühl feeling füllen fill
grün green Füllung filling
 Münster minster (<monasterium)
Sünde sin
sünd(ig)en sin
üɒ
Büchse box
 DIPHTHONGE
AU

au  ʌ au  ɔ:
Pflaume plum Klaue claw (=Kralle)
au  i: au  aʊ
Baum beam (=Strahl) (Augen)Braue (eye)brow
Lauch leek
laufen leap
au  ɪ au  u:
Faust fist kauen chew
au  ɔ:
tauen thaw

EI

ei  i: ei  i
bleichen bleach Speichel spittle
reichen reach
ei  əʊ
Bein bone (=Knochen, wie dt. Bein früher)
streicheln stroke

EU

eu  aʊ eu  i:
Eule owl steuern steer
heulen howl (+schreien)
(Ge)häule howl (+Geschrei)

eu  ʌ eu  i:
Euter udder steuern steer
 KONSONATEN
Labiale

f/pf  p b  v/f pb

Anlaut: Intervokalisch: Krippe crib
Pflaume plum (be)hebig heavy Rippe rib
Pfeffer pepper bleiben leave
pflücken pluck geben give
Pfütze pit glauben believe
Intervokalisch: Glaube belief
greifen grip Grab(en) grave
Haufe(n) heap Grube groove (=Rille)
helfen help haben have
Hilfe help Habicht hawk
hoffen hope heben heave (vgl. heavy)
Hoffnung hope Herbst harvest
Hüfte hip Kalb/Kälber calf/calves
laufen leap (=springen) leben live
Lauf leap (=Sprung) Leben life
offen open Leber liver
öffnen open lieben love
schaffen shape (=formen, gestalten) Liebe love
(Schaffung) shape (=Form, Gestalt) Rabe(n) raven
schlafen sleep sieben sieve
schleifen slip sieben (7) seven
stampfen stamp sterben starve (=verhungern)
streifen strip streben strive
Streifen stripe Taube dove
triefen drip treiben (re)trieve
Waffe weapon über over

Auslaut: Auslaut:
auf up ab of
(aufer) upper Dieb thief
reif ripe lieb lief (=gerne)1
Schaf sheep Sieb sieve
scharf sharp Stab staff (=Stab/Stock)
Schiff ship Weib wife
tief deep

1
I want and I'd love to are overworked and misused to fill the hole left in the language when I would lief faded
in 17c.
 Dentale

td d  th t  th
Anlaut: Anlaut: Anlaut:
Tag day danken thank tauen thow
Tal dale dann then
Taube dove das this Intervokalisch:
teuer dear dass that/yt4 Gatte gather (=sammeln)
tief deep Daumen thomb Latte lath
Tier deer (=Reh) de-/dünken think Motte moth
Tochter daughter der the/ye4 Mutter mother
tränken drench dich thee Vater father
treiben drive (=führen) dick thick (ver)wittern wither (=verkommen)
triefen drip Dieb thief werden worth
Trift (=das Treiben) drift Ding thing Wetter weather
triften (=treiben) drift Dorn thorn
trinken drink drei three Auslaut:
(Ge)tränk drink du thou (obsolet) Leid loath(=ungern, unwillig)
tropfen drop durch through Math (=koszenie) math
Tropfen drop dünn thin Monat month
tun do seit sith (obsolet)
Tat deed Intervokalisch: weder with (???)
in der Tat indeed beide both Wert worth
Bruder brother
Intervokalisch: Erde earth
bieten bid Feder feather
bitten bid Leder leather
Blatter2 (=Blase) bladder (=Harnblase) Norden north
brüten breed Süden south
eitel idle Schwade (=pokos)swathe (=Bahn,
Eltern elder (=älter) Streifen)

Euter udder Auslaut:

falten fold Bad bath
Falte fold Eid oath
Garten garden3 Heide heath
gleiten glide Herd hearth
gürten gird Kleid cloth
Gürtel girdle kund couth (=kultiviert)
Mund mouth

2
Sehr ansteckende Infektionskrankheit des Menschen, bei der sich auf der Haut eitrige Bläschen bilden, die
später vernarben, Pocken
3
late 13c. (late 12c. in surnames), from Old North French gardin "(kitchen) garden; orchard; palace grounds"
(Old French jardin, 13c., Modern French jardin), from Vulgar Latin hortus gardinus "enclosed garden," via
Frankish *gardo or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *gardaz. (Das urgermanische “garden”
erlag Palatalisierung zu ‘yard’)
4
ye (article) old or quaintly archaic way of writing the, in which the -y- is a 16c. graphic alteration of þ, an Old
English character (generally called "thorn," originally a Germanic rune; see th-) that represented the -th- sound
(as at the beginning of thorn). The characters for -y- and -þ- so closely resembled each other in Old English and
early Middle English handwriting that a dot had to be added to the -y- to keep them distinct. In late 15c., early
printers in English, whose types were founded on the continent, did not have a þ in their sets, so they
substituted y as the letter that looked most like it when setting type. But in such usages it was not meant to be
pronounced with any of the sounds associated with -y-, but still as "-th-." Ye for the (and yt for that) continued
in manuscripts through 18c. Revived 19c. as a deliberate antiquarianism; the Ye Olde _____ construction was
being mocked by 1896.
Hirte herd(sman) Pfad path
hüten heed (=beachten) Schmied smith
kneten knead
leiten lead
Leiter ladder
(Stroh)Matte meaed(ow) (=Wiese)
Miete meed (=Lohn)
mitten mid
inmitten amid
Natter/Otter adder
raten read (=lesen)
Rätsel riddle
reiten ride
Sattel saddle
Schatten shadow
selten seldom
überschatten overshadow
Schulter shoulder
Witwe widow
Auslaut:
alt old
älter elder
ältest eldest
(be)reit ready
Bett bed
Braut bride
breit broad
(in der Breite) abroad (=im Ausland)
Brett board (=Tafel; Amt)
fluten flood
Flut flood
Furt ford
Ochsenfurt Oxford
Gott god
gut good
Haupt head
Haut hide (=Fell)
Hut hood
laut loud
lind lithe (=geschmeidig)
hart hard
Met mead
Not need
(be)nötig(en) need
rot red
Saat seed
tot dead
warten ward (=abwehren)
Wart(e) ward
-wärts -ward(s)
*zuwärts towards
*nachwärts afterward(s)
vorwärts forward
rückwärts backward
weiter onward
weit wide
Wort word
 Sibillantes (Zischlaute)

ʃ (sch)  s b, p  v/f s (s, ss, ß)  t

Anlaut: Intervokalisch: Intervokalisch:
schlafen sleep (be)hebig heavy beißen bite
schlau sly Biber beaver Biss bit
schleifen slip bleiben leave besser better
Schleim slime eben even (=gleich) essen eat
schmal small haben have (aßen) (ate)
schmieren smear Habicht hawk flössen float
Schwein swine Herbst harvest fressen fret
schwellen swell geben give grüßen greet
Schwester sister Gabe gift hassen hate
schwimmen swim Grab(en) grave Kessel kettle
schwindeln swindle Herbst harvest (=Ernte) lassen let
spähen spy lieben love rasseln (grzechotac)rattle
spannen span an + oben above (=über) scheißen shit
spinnen spin Rabe(n) raven Scheiße shit
splitten split selbst self schießen shoot
stecken stick sieben sieve Schuss shot
stehlen steal sieben (7) seven *gessen get
steif stiff Silber silver vergessen forget
stemmen stem schleifen slip Wasser water
Stamm stem streben strive wissen wit
stinken stink Taube dove
Stoff stuff treiben drive Auslaut:
stopfen stop übel evil aus out
Strang string Übel evil on+bei+aus about
Sturm storm über over das that
Geiß (=koza) goat
Auslaut: Fuß foot/feet
Dieb thief Los lot
Kalb/Kälber calf/calves Nuss nut
Laib loaf reißen write (=schreiben)
Leib life (=Leben) Schweiß sweat
Sieb sieve was what
(Ur)Laub leave (vgl. erlauben) weiß white

z/zt  t/d
Anlaut:
zählen tell (=sagen)
zähmen tame
zahm tame
Zahn tooth/teeth
Zange tongs
Zarge (futryna) target (=Ziel)
Zaun town (=Stadt)
Zecke tick
zehn ten
Zeichen token
Zeit tide (=Ebbe)
zielen till (=den Boden bestellen)
Ziel tillth (=Bodenbestellung)
ans Ziel untill (=bis)
Zinn tin
Zinne tine
Zoll toll
zu to
Zunge tongue
zwei two
Zweig twig
Zwerg dwarf
zwingen twinge (=das Stechen)
Zwist twist
zwitchern twitter
zwölf twelve

Intervokalisch:
Bolzen bolt
heizen heat
Hitze heat
Katze cat
kitzeln kittle
kratzen grate
Minze5 mint
Münze6 mint
(frisch geprägt) mint (=nagelneu)
Pfütze pit
(auf)schlitzen slit
schmelzen smelt/melt
wälzen welter

Auslaut:
Herz heart
setzen set
Satz set
Wurz wort (=Kraut)

5
a borrowing from Latin menta, mentha "mint," from Greek minthe, personified as a nymph transformed into
an herb by Proserpine, probably a loan-word from a lost Mediterranean language.
6
vom Lat. ‘moneta’.
 Gutturale

g/k  Verfall/Palatalisierung k , ch  tʃ (ch) h  Verfall

Anlaut: Anlaut: blehen blow
Garten yard (=Hof, Garten) Kaff (=Spreu) chaff ehe(r) ere
gelb yellow kauen chew eher early (=früh)
(ge)bären bear (=tragen) Käse cheese fliehen flee
(ge)boren born kiesen (wybierac) choose glühen glow
(Ge)fecht fight Kinn chin mähen mow
(ge)sund sound Kirche church7 sehen see
glauben (be)lieve Kiste/Kasten chest vor(her)sehen foresee
Glück luck Intervokalisch: stehlen steal
Intervokalisch: Birke birch
Auge eye Krücke crutch
biegen bow Küche kitchen
fliegen fly Recke (=Held) wretch
Fliege fly Wache halten watch
folgen follow Auslaut:
Hagel hail Deich ditch (=Graben)
Honig honey
Hügel hill
Jugend youth
Kragen craw
lausig lousy
legen lay
erlegen allay (=beschwichtigen)
liegen lie
lügen lie
Magd maid(en)
Magen maw
manch(er, e, es) many (vgl. Menge)
mögen may
Nagel nail
Pfennig penny
pflegen play (=spielen)
pflügen plow
Regen rain
Roggen rye
sagen say
schlagen slay
Schläger slayer (=Schlächter)
Segel sail
segeln sail
(be)siegeln seal
Siegel seal
sorgen sorrow
Sorge sorrow
steigen sty (obsolet)
(Steiger) stair
(Steigel??) stile (=Zaunübertritt)

7
probably [see note in OED] from Greek kyriake (oikia), kyriakon doma "Lord's (house)," from kyrios "ruler,
lord," from PIE root *keue- "to swell" ("swollen," hence "strong, powerful"); see cumulus.
Tag day
tragen drag/draw (=ziehen)
trocken dry [draɪ]
Vogel fawl (=Geflügel)
Wagen wain (=wagon)
Weg way
wiegen weigh
Zeichen token
Auslaut:
einig any (=irgendein)
Flug flight
genug enough
(be)hebig heavy (=schwer)
heilig holy
Kranich crane
tüchtig/Tugend daughty (=tapfer, kühn)
ch  Verfall (Brechung) ch  g/k ck  dg / tch
Intervokalisch: feucht fog Brücke bridge
acht eight Ecke edge (=Kante)
fechten fight Hecke hedge
(Ge)fecht fight Mücke midge (kleine Mücke)
Flucht flight Mücke midget (=Zwerg)
Knecht knight Rücken ridge (tt.: Grat, Rippe)
lachen laugh
leuchten light
Licht light
leicht light
möchten might
Macht might
mächtig mighty
allmächtig almighty
Nacht night
Recht right
schlachten slaughter
Schlachthof slaughterhouse
schli-/schlecht slight
Sicht sight
Auslaut:
hoch high
ich I
mich me
nah nigh
sah saw
sichten sight
Tochter daughter
ch  k
Intervokalisch:
brechen break
machen make
rauchen reek
rechen rake (=harken)
Sache sake (=Grund, Ziel)
Sichel sickle
sprechen speak
streichen strike (=schlagen) &
streak
Strich strike (=Schlag) &
streak
streicheln stroke
suchen seek
besuchen beseech (=anflehen)
wachen wake
Woche week
Auslaut:
Buch book
Deich dike
gleich (a)like
Habicht hawk
Joch yoke
kochen cook
Koch cook
Lauch leek
Milch milk
Schmauch smoke
Storch stork
weich weak
 Nasale

n  Verfall (Entnasalisierung)
Anlaut:
Natter adder
Intervokalisch:
anderer other
Biene bee
fünf (5) five
Gans goose (Plur. geese)
Mund mouth
Stern star
uns us
 Metathese:

r
Erle (=olcha) alder
brennen burn
Ross horse
 NOCH ZUZUORDNEN:

Arsch arse [ɑ:s] Kamm comb Sau sow

(ver)arschen arse (=herumblödeln) kämmen comb Scham shame
Butt (=płastuga) but [bət] keck (chwacki) quick (=schnell) seit(dem) since
ein(s) a(n) / one Kind kin (=Verwandter) sengen (opalać) singe
fahren fare kühn keen (=begeistert) Sense scythe
fassen fetch (=holen, bringen) küssen kiss säen sow
fassend fetching (=bezaubernd) Kuss kiss Schande shend
Feind fiend Klaue clow schauen show (= [sich] zeigen)
Feld field klein clean (=sauber) scheu shy
Feuer fire klimmen climb Schiefer shale
frei free Knie knee Schind (dialekt.) skin
Freund friend können can schlafen sleep
Frosch frog König king schleifen sleave (=fachen)
für for kriechen creep schlüpfen sleeve (???)
Fürst first (=erste,-r,-s) Kuh cow Schnee snow
Geist ghost Land land schreien scream
Glied limb lang long Schei scream
glitzern glister Länge length schöpfen scoop
Hacken hook (ver)längern linger schrubben scrub
heil whole (=ganz) laufen leap (=springen) Schwert sword
Heil health (< whole) (ver)lieren lose schwimmen swim
heischen (żądać) ask lösen loose schwören swear
ihm/ihn him lösen, lockern loosen (Anschwur) answer
Hirte (shep)herd löse loose sechs six
hohl hollow [ˈhɒləʊ] lugen (dialekt) look Seele soul
Hölle hell lungern lounge (???) Sehne sinew
Hure whore (Ver)lust loss siedeln settle
jammern yammer Mahr (night)mare (=Albtraum) Sohn son
Mahl meal solch(er, e, es) such
Mähne mane sollen shall
Mädchen maid(en) Sommer summer
Mehl meal (=grobes Mehl) Sonne sun
mehr more speien spew/spue
meist most Spung spring (=Frühling)
(ver)mengen mingle (=mischen) spücken spit
in Menge among Stahl steel
mit mid (???) stauen stow
Mond moon Stau stow
Mord murder Stein stone
müssen must sticken stitch (=sticken, nähen)
Muss must Stich stitch
Neffe nephew stopfen stuff (=ausstatten)
Nichte niece Stopf stuff (=Stoff)
nun now streng strong (=kräftig)
Ohr ear Stränge strenght
Osten east strömen stream
predigen pray (???) Strom stream
Prediger prayer treu true
raspeln rasp Ulme elm
rau rough voll full
Raum room Weh woe
reich rich welch(er, e, es) which
rennen run Welt world
(be)reuen rue wen/wem whom (???)
Rinde rind wenn when
werken work
Werk work
Wespe wasp
wie why (???)
Wiede wood (???)
wir we
wirr war (=Krieg)
(ver)wirren war
wohl well
Wolf wolf
Wolle wool
wollen will
Wurm worm
wünschen wish
zischen hiss
GERMANISCH aber nicht im DEUTSCHEN:

abide (=verweilen), ache, addle (=Urin), affray, ago, ail, ale, bad (???), bale, bliss, body, bold, but, butterfly,
buy, child, die, fair, grow, keep, know, knowledge, much, narrow, pith (=Mark), ring, sky, skill, spell,
truth, war, woman, worse/worst
 LATEINISCH im Deutschen und im Englischen:

as (=Eins) Ass ace movitia Meute mutiny

acetum Essig acid (=Säure) numerous Nummer number
acquirere aquirieren acquire quietus (=Ruhe) quitt quit (=schuldenfrei)
agere agieren act schola (< gr. σχολή) Schule school
actus Akt/Akten act scholarius Schüler scholar (=Gelehrte)
actio Aktion action
activus, a, um aktiv active
activare aktivieren activate
activitas Aktivität activity
actualis, is, e aktuell actual (=tatsächlich)
actualitas Aktualität actuality (=Realität)
actualisare aktualisieren actualize(=realisieren)
acus+pungere Akupunktur acupuncture
acutus, a, um akut acute
adaptare adaptieren adapt
adapter Adapter adapter
addere addieren add
*addirectiare adressieren address
*addirectus Adresse address
adaequatus, a, um adäquat adequate
adiectivus Adjektiv adjective
adiustus, a, um (ad)justieren adjust
adiutans Adjutant adjutant
administrator Administrator administrator
adoptare adoptieren adopt
adverbium Adverb adverb
affinitas Affinität affinity
agentia/agentura Agentur agency
agenda Agenda agenda
agens Agent agent
agressio Aggressio aggression
aggressivus, a, um aggressive aggressive
aggressor Aggressor aggressor
agricultura Agrikultur agriculture
album Album album
alias alias alias
alibi Alibi alibi
alienatio Alienation alienation
alligare alliert ally/alliance
ambulare Allee alley
crux, crucis Kreuz cross
flamma Flamme flame
lineare (Linie) align
ARABISCH im Deutschen und im Englischen:

admiral, alchemy, alcohol, alcove, algebra, algorithm

FRANZÖSISCH im Deutschen und im Englischen:

à faire (=zu tun) Affäre affair (=Angelegenheit)

alarm,

GRIECHISCH im Deutschen und im Englischen:

δίσκος = Diskus Tisch dish (=Geschirr)

ἀκάκια = Akazie acacia
acoustics, acrobat(ics), aesthete, aesthetic, aesthetics, agony, air, allegory, allergy

ITALIENISCH im Deutschen und im Englischen:

all’arme Alarm alarm

all’erta (=to he height) alert

ONOMATOPOIE:

buzz (=summen, brummen),

ZUSAMMENSETZUNGEN:

ado (< at + do) again (=on + gegn ‘gegen’)

against (=on + gegn + st) albeit (= al[though] + be + it)
gospell (< god + spell) lord (< loaf + ward)
orchard (< wort + yard) lady (< loaf + dey ‘Magd’)
WORTBILDUNG:

Präfixe

a- prefix meaning ‘of’ as in akin – ME. a-, from OE of. See a, prep. meaning ‘of’.

kin (=Verwandschaft) akin (=ähnlich) field afield (=entfernt)

light alight (=aussteigen)

a- prefix meaning ‘on’ used to form adverbs from nouns as in abroad, ashore. – OE an, on. See a,
prep. meaning ‘on’.

broad abroad shore ashore (=an Land) back aback (=nach hinten)
blaze (=Feuer, Glanz) ablaze (=entflammt)
board (=Bord) aboard (=an Bord)
cross across (=hinüber)
drift adrift
far afar (=weit weg)
fire afire (=in Flammen)
flame aflame (=in Flammen)
float afloat (=über Wasser)
foot afoot (=im Gange, zu Fuß)
for afore (=vorher, bevor)
fresh afresh (=noch einmal)
ground aground (=auf Grund)
head ahead (=vorwärts)
light alight (=in Flammen)
live alive (=am Leben)

a- intensive prefix. – OE. ā-, rel. to OS., OFris. ur-, or-, Du. oor-, OHG, MHG. ur- (unstressed: OHG. ir-
, ar-, MHG., G. –er), Goth. –us. The original meaning of these prefixes was ‘out, away’. Cp. the pref. in
oakum, ordeal.

bide (=abwarten) abide (=verweilen)

a- prefix meaning ‘away from, from’ (occurring only before v), as in avert. – L. ā-, fr. ā, short form
of ab ‘away from, from’, rel. to Oscan aa-, Umbr. –aha ‘away from, from’. See ab-.

a- prefix corresponding to L. ad-, fr. ad ‘to, toward’, either directly or through the medium of OF. a-
or F. à. Cp. the pref. in abandon, acknowledge, ascend, ascribe, and see ad-. Cp. also à.

knowledge acknowledge

a- (1) in native (derived from Old English) words, it most commonly represents Old English an "on"
(see a (2)), as in alive, asleep, abroad, afoot, etc., forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns; but it
also can be Middle English of, as in anew, abreast (1590s); or a reduced form of Old English past
participle prefix ge-, as in aware; or the Old English intensive a-, as in arise, awake, ashame, marking
a verb as momentary, a single event. In words from Romanic languages, often it represents Latin ad-
"to, at." “[I]t naturally happened that all these a- prefixes were at length confusedly lumped
together in idea, and the resultant a- looked upon as vaguely intensive, rhetorical, euphonic, or even
archaic, and wholly otiose.” [OED]

a- (2) prefix meaning "not," from Latin a-, short for ab "away from" (as in avert); see ab-.

a- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Greek a-, an- "not," from PIE root *ne "not" (see un-).

ab- word-forming element meaning "away, from, from off, down;" from Latin ab-, ab "off, away
from," cognate with Greek apo "away from, from," Sanskrit apa "away from," Gothic af, Old English
of, from PIE root *apo- (see apo-). Reduced to a- before -m-, -p-, or -v-; sometimes abs- before -c- or
-t-.

ad- word-forming element expressing direction toward or in addition to, from Latin ad "to, toward"
in space or time; "with regard to, in relation to," as a prefix, sometimes merely emphatic, from PIE
*ad- "to, near, at" (cognate with Old English æt; see at). Simplified to a- before sc-, sp- and st-;
modified to ac- before many consonants and then re-spelled af-, ag-, al-, etc., in conformity with the
following consonant (as in affection, aggression). In Old French, reduced to a- in all cases (an
evolution already underway in Merovingian Latin), but written forms in French were refashioned
after Latin in 14c. and English did likewise 15c. in words it had picked up from Old French. In many
cases pronunciation followed the shift.

ambi- word-forming element meaning "both, on both sides," from Latin ambi- "around, round
about," from PIE *ambhi "around" (cognates: Greek amphi "round about;" Sanskrit abhitah "on both
sides," abhi "toward, to;" Avestan aibi; Old English ymbe, German um; Gaulish ambi-, Old Irish imb-
"round about, about;" Old Church Slavonic oba; Lithuanian abu "both"). The PIE root probably is an
ablative plural of *ant-bhi "from both sides," from *ant- "front, forehead" (see ante).

apo- before vowels ap-, word-forming element meaning "from, away from, separate, free from,"
from Greek apo "from, away from; after; in descent from," in compounds, "from, asunder, away, off;
finishing, completing; ceasing from; back again," from PIE root *apo- "off, away" (cognates: Sanskrit
apa "away from," Avestan apa "away from," Latin ab "away from, from," Gothic af, Old English of
"away from").

be- word-forming element with a wide range of meaning: "thoroughly, completely; to make, cause
seem; to provide with; at, on, to, for," from Old English be- "on all sides" (also used to make
transitive verbs and as a privative or intensive prefix), from weak form of Old English bi "by,"
probably cognate with second syllable of Greek amphi, Latin ambi and originally meaning "about"
(see ambi-). This sense naturally drifted into intensive (as in bespatter "spatter about," therefore
"spatter very much"). Be- can also be privative (as in behead), causative, or have just about any sense
required. The prefix was productive 16c.-17c. in forming useful words, many of which have not
survived, such as bethwack "to thrash soundly" (1550s), betongue "to assail in speech, to scold"
(1630s).

bi- word-forming element meaning "two, twice, double, doubly, once every two," etc., from Latin
bi- "twice, double," from Old Latin dvi- (cognate with Sanskrit dvi-, Greek di-, Old English twi- "twice,
double"), from PIE root *dwo- "two." Nativized from 16c. Occasionally bin- before vowels; this form
originated in French, not Latin, and might be partly based on or influenced by Latin bini "twofold"
(see binary).

co- in Latin, the form of com- in compounds with stems beginning in vowels and h- and gn- (see
com-). Taken in English from 17c. as a living prefix meaning "together, mutually, in common," and
used promiscuously with native words and Latin-derived words not beginning with vowels,
sometimes even with words already having it (such as co-conspiritor).

com- word-forming element usually meaning "with, together," from Latin com, archaic form of
classical Latin cum "together, together with, in combination," from PIE *kom- "beside, near, by, with"
(compare Old English ge-, German ge-). The prefix in Latin sometimes was used as an intensive.
Before vowels and aspirates, reduced to co-; before -g-, assimilated to cog- or con-; before -l-,
assimilated to col-; before -r-, assimilated to cor-; before -c-, -d-, -j-, -n-, -q-, -s-, -t-, -v- assimilated to
con-.

em- word-forming element meaning "put in or into, bring to a certain state," sometimes intensive,
from French assimilation of en- "in, into" (see en- (1)) to following labial stop (-b-, -p-, and often -m-),
or from the same development in later Latin in- (to im-). "This rule was not fully established in
spelling before the 17th c." [OED], but it is likely the pronunciation shift was in Old French and
Middle English and spelling was slow to conform. Also a living prefix in English used to form verbs
from adjectives and nouns (embitter, embody). In words such as emancipate, emerge, emit, emotion
the e- is a reduced form of Latin ex- (see ex-) before -m-.

en- (1) word-forming element meaning "in; into," from French and Old French en-, from Latin in-
"in, into" (see in- (2)). Typically assimilated before -p-, -b-, -m-, -l-, and -r-. Latin in- became en- in
French, Spanish, Portuguese, but remained in- in Italian. Also used with native and imported
elements to form verbs from nouns and adjectives, with a sense "put in or on" (encircle), also "cause
to be, make into" (endear), and used as an intensive (enclose). Spelling variants in French that were
brought over into Middle English account for parallels such as ensure/insure, and most en- words in
English had at one time or another a variant in in-, and vice versa.

en- (2) word-forming element meaning "near, at, in, on, within," from Greek en "in," cognate with
Latin in (see in), and thus with en- (1). Typically assimilated to em- before -p-, -b-, -m-, -l-, and -r-.

for- prefix usually meaning "away, opposite, completely," from Old English for-, indicating loss or
destruction, but in other cases completion, and used as well with intensive or pejorative force, from
Proto-Germanic *fur "before, in" (cognates: Old Norse for-, Swedish för-, Dutch ver-, Old High
German fir-, German ver-); from PIE *pr-, from root *per- (1) "forward, through" (see per). In
verbs the prefix denotes (a) intensive or completive action or process, or (b) action that miscarries,
turns out for the worse, results in failure, or produces adverse or opposite results. In many verbs the
prefix exhibits both meanings, and the verbs frequently have secondary and figurative meanings or
are synonymous with the simplex. [Middle English Dictionary]. Probably originally in Germanic with
a sense of "forward, forth," but it spun out complex sense developments in the historical languages.
Disused in Modern English. Ultimately from the same root as fore (adv.). From its use in participles it
came to be an intensive prefix of adjectives in Middle English (for example Chaucer's forblak
"exceedingly black"), but all these now seem to be obsolete.
forlorn (=verlassen, einsam, verzweifelt)

fore- Middle English for-, fore-, from Old English fore-, often for- or foran-, from fore (adv. & prep.),
which was used as a prefix in Old English as in other Germanic languages with a sense of "before in
time, rank, position," etc., or designating the front part or earliest time.
forerunner, foresee

in- (1) word-forming element meaning "not, opposite of, without" (also im-, il-, ir- by assimilation of
-n- with following consonant, a tendency which began in later Latin), from Latin in- "not," cognate
with Greek an-, Old English un-, all from PIE root *ne "not" (see un- (1)). In Old French and Middle
English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do
(enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in-
with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.

in- (2) element meaning "into, in, on, upon" (also im-, il-, ir- by assimilation of -n- with following
consonant), from Latin in- "in" (see in). In Old French (and hence in Middle English) this often
became en-, which in English had a strong tendency to revert to Latin in-, but not always, which
accounts for pairs such as enquire/inquire. There was a native form, which in West Saxon usually
appeared as on- (as in Old English onliehtan "to enlighten"), and some of those verbs survived into
Middle English (such as inwrite "to inscribe"), but all now seem to be extinct. Not related to in- (1)
"not," which also was a common prefix in Latin, causing confusion: to the Romans impressus could
mean "pressed" or "unpressed;" inaudire meant "to hear," but inauditus meant "unheard of;" in Late
Latin investigabilis could mean "that may be searched into" or "that cannot be searched into." Latin
invocatus was "uncalled, uninvited," but invocare was "to call, appeal to." The trouble has
continued in English; the hesitation over what is meant by inflammable being a commonly cited
example. Implume (1610s) meant "to feather," but implumed (c. 1600) meant "unfeathered."
Impliable can mean "capable of being implied" (1865) or "inflexible" (1734). Impartible in 17c. could
mean "incapable of being divided" or "capable of being imparted." Impassionate can be "free from
passion" or it can mean "strongly stirred by passion." Inanimate (adj.) is "lifeless," but Donne uses
inanimate (v.) to mean "infuse with life or vigor." Irruption is "a breaking in," but irruptible is
"unbreakable." In addition to improve "use to one's profit," Middle English also had a verb improve
meaning "to disprove" (15c.). To inculpate is "to accuse," but inculpable means "not culpable, free
from blame." Infestive has meant "troublesome, annoying" (1560s, from infest) and "not festive"
(1620s). In Middle English inflexible could mean "incapable of being bent" or "capable of being
swayed or moved." In 17c., informed could mean "current in information," formed, animated," or
"unformed, formless" ("This was an awkward use" [OED]). Inhabited has meant "dwelt in" (1560s)
and "uninhabited" (1610s); inhabitable likewise has been used on opposite senses, a confusion that
goes back to Late Latin.

over- word-forming element meaning "above; highest; across; too much; above normal; outer,"
from Old English ofer (see over). Over and its Germanic relations were widely used as prefixes, and
sometimes could be used with negative force. This is rare in Modern English, but compare Gothic
ufarmunnon "to forget," ufar-swaran "to swear falsely;" Old English ofercræft "fraud."

re- word-forming element meaning "back to the original place; again, anew, once more," also with
a sense of "undoing," c. 1200, from Old French and directly from Latin re- "again, back, anew,
against," "Latin combining form conceivably from Indo-European *wret-, metathetical variant of
*wert- "to turn" [Watkins]. Often merely intensive, and in many of the older borrowings from French
and Latin the precise sense of re- is lost in secondary senses or weakened beyond recognition. OED
writes that it is "impossible to attempt a complete record of all the forms resulting from its use," and
adds that "The number of these is practically infinite ...." The Latin prefix became red- before vowels
and h-, as in redact, redeem, redolent, redundant.

semi- before vowels sem-, word-forming element meaning "half, part, partly; partial, imperfect;
twice," from Latin semi- "half," from PIE *semi- "half" (cognates: Sanskrit sami "half," Greek hemi-
"half," Old English sam-, Gothic sami- "half"). Old English cognate sam- was used in such
compounds as samhal "poor health," literally "half-whole;" samsoden "half-cooked," figuratively
"stupid" (compare half-baked); samcucu "half-dead," literally "half-alive;" and the last survivor of the
group, sandblind "dim-sighted" (q.v.). Common in Latin (as in semi-gravis "half-drunk," semi-hora
"half hour," semi-mortuus "half-dead," semi-nudus "half-naked," semi-vir "half-man,
hermaphrodite"). The Latin-derived form in English has been active in forming native words since
15c.
un- (1) prefix of negation, Old English un-, from Proto-Germanic *un- (cognates: Old Saxon, Old
Frisian, Old High German, German un-, Gothic un-, Dutch on-), from PIE *n- (source of Sanskrit a-, an-
"not," Greek a-, an-, Old Irish an-, Latin in-), comb. form of PIE root *ne "not" (cognates: Avestan na,
Old Church Slavonic and Lithuanian ne "not," Latin ne "that not," Greek ne- "not," Old Irish ni, Cornish
ny "not"). Often euphemistic (such as untruth for "lie"). The most prolific of English prefixes, freely
and widely used in Old English, where it forms more than 1,000 compounds. It underwent a mass
extinction in early Middle English, but emerged with renewed vigor 16c. to form compounds with
native and imported words. It disputes with Latin-derived cognate in- (1) the right to form the
negation of certain words (indigestable/undigestable, etc.), and though both might be deployed in
cooperation to indicate shades of meaning (unfamous/infamous), typically they are not. It also
makes words from phrases (such as uncalled-for, c. 1600; undreamed-of, 1630s; uncome-at-able,
1690s; unputdownable, 1947, of a book; un-in-one-breath-utterable, Ben Jonson; etc., but the habit is
not restricted to un-; such as put-up-able-with, 1812). As a prefix in telegramese to replace not and
save the cost of a word, it is attested by 1936.

tri- word-forming element meaning "three, having three, once every three," from Latin tres (neuter
tria) or Greek treis, trias "three" (see three).

y- perfective prefix, in yclept, etc.; a deliberate archaism, introduced by Spenser and his imitators,
representing an authentic Middle English prefix y-, earlier i-, from Old English ge-, originally meaning
"with, together" but later a completive or perfective element, from Proto-Germanic *ga- "together,
with" (also a collective and intensive prefix), from PIE *kom "beside, near, by, with" (cognate with
Sanskrit ja-, Latin com-, cum-; see com-). It is still living in German and Dutch ge-, and survives,
disguised, in some English words (such as alike, aware, handiwork). Among hundreds of Middle
English words it formed are yfallen, yhacked ("completely hacked," probably now again useful),
yknow, ymarried, ywrought.
 Suffixe

-able word-forming element expressing ability, capacity, fitness, from French, from Latin -ibilis, -
abilis, forming adjectives from verbs, properly -bilis (the vowels being generally from the stem of the
word being suffixed), from PIE *-tro-, a suffix used to form nouns of instrument, cognate with the
second syllables of rudder and saddle (n.). In Latin, infinitives in -are took -abilis, others -ibilis; in
English, -able tends to be used with native (and other non-Latin) words, -ible with words of obvious
Latin origin (but there are exceptions). The Latin suffix is not etymologically connected with able, but
it long has been popularly associated with it, and this has contributed to its survival as a living suffix.
actionable, adaptable, adjustable, affordable, foreseeable

-ability word-forming element expressing ability, fitness, or capacity, from Latin -abilitas, forming
nouns from adjectives ending in -abilis (see -able). Not etymologically related to ability, though
popularly connected with it.
adaptability,

-age word-forming element in nouns of act, process, function, condition, from Old French and
French -age, from Late Latin -aticum "belonging to, related to," originally neuter adjectival suffix,
from PIE *-at- (source of Latin -atus, past participle suffix of verbs of the first conjugation) + *-(i)ko-,
secondary suffix forming adjectives (see -ic).
acreage, cleavage

-al (1) suffix forming adjectives from nouns or other adjectives, "of, like, related to, pertaining to,"
Middle English -al, -el, from French or directly from Latin -alis (see -al (2)).
adenoidal, adjectival, aerial,

-al (2) suffix forming nouns of action from verbs, mostly from Latin and French, meaning "act of
______ing" (such as survival, referral), Middle English -aille, from French feminine singular -aille,
from Latin -alia, neuter plural of adjective suffix -alis, also used in English as a noun suffix. Nativized
in English and used with Germanic verbs (as in bestowal, betrothal).

-al (3) word-forming element in chemistry to indicate "presence of an aldehyde group" (from
aldehyde). The suffix also is commonly used in forming the names of drugs, often narcotics (such as
barbital), a tendency that apparently began in German and might have been suggested by chloral
(n.).
additional,

-ance word-forming element attached to verbs to form abstract nouns of process or fact
(convergence from converge), or of state or quality (absence from absent); ultimately from Latin -
antia and -entia, which depended on the vowel in the stem word, from PIE *-nt-, adjectival suffix.
As Old French evolved from Latin, these were leveled to -ance, but later French borrowings from
Latin (some of them subsequently passed to English) used the appropriate Latin form of the ending,
as did words borrowed by English directly from Latin (diligence, absence). English thus inherited a
confused mass of words from French and further confused it since c. 1500 by restoring -ence
selectively in some forms of these words to conform with Latin. Thus dependant, but independence,
etc.
admittance,

-ate (1) word-forming element used in forming nouns from Latin words ending in -atus, -atum (such
as estate, primate, senate). Those that came to English via Old and Middle French often arrived with -
at, but an -e was added after c. 1400 to indicate the long vowel. The suffix also can mark adjectives,
formed from Latin past participals in -atus, -ata (such as desolate, moderate, separate), again, they
often were adopted in Middle English as -at, with an -e appended after c. 1400.
affectionate

-ate (2) verbal suffix for Latin verbs in -are, identical with -ate (1). Old English commonly made
verbs from adjectives by adding a verbal ending to the word (such as gnornian "be sad, mourn,"
gnorn "sad, depressed"), but as the inflections wore off English words in late Old and early Middle
English, there came to be no difference between the adjective and the verb in dry, empty, warm, etc.
Thus accustomed to the identity of adjectival and verbal forms of a word, the English, when they
began to expand their Latin-based vocabulary after c. 1500, simply made verbs from Latin past-
participial adjectives without changing their form (such as aggravate, substantiate) and it became
the custom that Latin verbs were anglicized from their past participle stems.
activate,

-ate (3) in chemistry, word-forming element used to form the names of salts from acids in -ic; from
Latin -atus, -atum, suffix used in forming adjectives and thence nouns; identical with -ate (1). The
substance formed, for example, by the action of acetic acid (vinegar) on lead was described in the
18th century as plumbum acetatum, i.e. acetated lead. Acetatum was then taken as a noun meaning
"the acetated (product)," i.e. acetate. [W.E. Flood, "The Origins of Chemical Names," London, 1963]

-cy abstract noun suffix of quality or rank, from Latin -cia, -tia, from Greek -kia, -tia, from abstract
ending -ia (see -ia) + stem ending -c- or -t-. The native correspondents are -ship, -hood.

-dom abstract suffix of state, from Old English dom "statute, judgment" (see doom (n.)). Already
active as a suffix in Old English (as in freodom, wisdom). Cognate with German -tum (Old High
German tuom).

-dom = -tum -dom = -heit -dom = sonstige Suffixe

Christentum Christendom Freiheit freedom Langeweile boredom
Königtum kingdom Weißheit wisdom
random ? / seldom ?

-ed past participle suffix of weak verbs, from Old English -ed, -ad, -od (leveled to -ed in Middle
English), from Proto-Germanic *-da- (cognates: Old High German -ta, German -t, Old Norse -þa,
Gothic -da, -þs), from PIE *-to-, "suffix forming adjectives marking the accomplishment of the notion
of the base" [Watkins] (cognates: Sanskrit -tah, Greek -tos, Latin -tus; see -th (1)). Originally fully
pronounced, as still in beloved (which, with blessed, accursed, and a few others retains the full
pronunciation through liturgical readings). In Old English already first and third person singular past
tense forms of some "weak" verbs was -te, a variant of -de (see -ed), often accompanied by a change
in vowel sound (as in modern keep/kept, sleep/slept). A tendency to shorten final consonants has left
English with many past tense forms spelled in -ed but pronounced "-t." In some older words both
forms exist, with different shades of meaning, as in gilded/gilt, burned/burnt.

-ee word-forming element in legal English (and in imitation of it), representing the Anglo-French -é
ending of past participles used as nouns. As these sometimes were coupled with agent nouns in -or,
the two suffixes came to be used as a pair to denote the initiator and the recipient of an action.
addressee (=Empfänger),

-en (1) word-forming element making verbs (such as darken, weaken) from adjectives or nouns,
from Old English -nian, from Proto-Germanic *-inojan (also source of Old Norse -na), from PIE
adjectival suffix *-no-. Most active in Middle English.
lighten, darken, weaken
-en (2) suffix added to nouns to produce adjectives meaning "made of, of the nature of" (such as
golden, oaken, woolen), corresponding to Latin -anus, -inus, Greek -inos; from Proto-Germanic *-ina-,
from PIE *-no-, adjectival suffix. Common in Old and Middle English (e.g. fyren "on fire; made of fire;"
hunden "of dogs, canine"), the few surviving uses are largely discarded in everyday use, and the
simple form of the noun doubles as adjective (gold ring, wool sweater). Some are used in special
contexts (brazen, wooden).
golden, oaken, woollen, brazen, wooden

-er (1) English agent noun ending, corresponding to Latin -or. In native words it represents Old
English -ere (Old Northumbrian also -are) "man who has to do with," from Proto-Germanic *-ari
(cognates: German -er, Swedish -are, Danish -ere), from Proto-Germanic *-arjoz. Some believe this
root is identical with, and perhaps a borrowing of, Latin -arius (see -ary). Generally used with native
Germanic words. In words of Latin origin, verbs derived from past participle stems of Latin ones
(including most verbs in -ate) usually take the Latin ending -or, as do Latin verbs that passed through
French (such as governor); but there are many exceptions (eraser, laborer, promoter, deserter; sailor,
bachelor), some of which were conformed from Latin to English in late Middle English. The use of -
or and -ee in legal language (such as lessor/lessee) to distinguish actors and recipients of action has
given the -or ending a tinge of professionalism, and this makes it useful in doubling words that have a
professional and a non-professional sense (such as advisor/adviser, conductor/conducter,
incubator/incubater, elevator/elevater).
administrator

-er (2) comparative suffix, from Old English -ra (masc.), -re (fem., neuter), from Proto-Germanic *-
izon (cognates: Gothic -iza, Old Saxon -iro, Old Norse -ri, Old High German -iro, German -er), from PIE
*-yos-, comparative adjective suffix. Originally also with umlaut change in stem, but this was mostly
lost in Old English by historical times and has now vanished (except in better and elder). For most
comparatives of one or two syllables, use of -er seems to be fading as the oral element in our society
relies on more before adjectives to express the comparative; thus prettier is more pretty, cooler is
more cool [Barnhart].

-ess fem. suffix, from French -esse, from Late Latin -issa, from Greek -issa (cognate with Old English
fem. agent suffix -icge); rare in classical Greek but more common later, in diakonissa "deaconess"
and other Church terms picked up by Latin.
actress,

-fold multiplicative word-forming element attached to numerals, from Old English -feald,
Northumbrian -fald, from Proto-Germanic *-falthaz (cognates: Old Saxon -fald, Old Frisian -fald, Old
Norse -faldr, Dutch -voud, German -falt, Gothic falþs), comb. form of *falthan, from PIE *polt-,
extended form of root *pel- (3) "to fold" (cognates: Greek -paltos, -plos; Latin -plus; see fold (v.)).
Native words with it have been crowded out by Latinate double, triple, etc., but it persists in
manifold, hundredfold, etc.

-fold = -falt(ig) -fold = -fach -fold = sonstige Suffixe

mannigfaltig manifold hundertfach hundredfold

-hood word-forming element meaning "state or condition of being," from Old English -had
"condition, quality, position" (as in cildhad "childhood," preosthad "priesthood," werhad
"manhood"), cognate with German -heit/-keit, Dutch -heid, Old Frisian and Old Saxon -hed, all from
Proto-Germanic *haidus "manner, quality," literally "bright appearance," from PIE (s)kai- (1) "bright,
shining" (Cognates: Sanskrit ketu "brightness, appearance"). Originally a free-standing word (see
hade); in Modern English it survives only in this suffix.
 -hood = -heit/-keit -hood = -schaft -hood = sonstige Suffixe
Kindheit childhood Bruderschaft brotherhood Erwachsensein adulthood
Männlichkeit manhood Priesterschaft priesthood

-ia word-forming element in names of countries, diseases, and flowers, from Latin and Greek -ia,
noun ending, in Greek especially used in forming abstract nouns (typically of feminine gender). The
classical suffix in its usual evolution (via French -ie) comes to Modern English as -y (as in
familia/family, also -logy, -graphy). Compare -cy. In paraphernalia, Mammalia, regalia, etc. it
represents Latin or Greek -a, plural suffix of nouns in -ium (Latin) or -ion (Greek), with formative or
euphonic -i-.

-ic Middle English -ik, -ick, word-forming element making adjectives, "having to do with, having the
nature of, being, made of, caused by, similar to," from French -ique and directly from Latin -icus or
cognate Greek -ikos "in the manner of; pertaining to." From PIE adjective suffix *-(i)ko, which also
yielded Slavic -isku, adjectival suffix indicating origin, the source of the -sky (Russian -skii) in many
surnames. In chemistry, indicating a higher valence than names in -ous. Variant forms in -ick (critick,
ethick) survived in English dictionaries until early 19c.
alcoholic, algebraic

-ical compound adjectival word-forming element, usually interchangeable with -ic but sometimes
with specialized sense (such as historic/historical, politic/political), Middle English, from Late Latin -
icalis, from Latin -icus + -alis (see -al (1)). Probably it was needed because the forms in -ic often took
on a noun sense (for example physic). Forms in -ical tend to be attested earlier in English than their
twins in -ic.

-ine (1) also -in, adjectival word-forming element, Middle English, from Old French -in/-ine, or
directly from Latin suffix -inus/-ina/-inum "of, like," forming adjectives and derived nouns, as in
divinus, feminus, caninus; from PIE adjectival suffix *-no- (see -en (2)). The Latin suffix is cognate
with Greek -inos/-ine/-inon, and in some modern scientific words the element is from Greek. Added
to names, it meant "of or pertaining to, of the nature of" (Florentinus), and so it also was commonly
used in forming Roman proper names, originally appellatives (Augustinus, Constantinus, Justinus,
etc.) and its descendants in Romanic languages continued active in name-forming. The Latin fem.
form, -ina, was used in forming abstracts (doctrina, medicina). Relics of the attempt to continue a
distinction between Latin -ina and -inus account for the English hesitation in spelling between -in and
-ine.

-ine (2) word-forming element in chemistry, often interchangeable with -in (2), though modern use
distinguishes them; early 19c., from French -ine, the suffix commonly used to form words for derived
substances, hence its extended use in chemistry. It was applied unsystematically at first (as in
aniline), but now has more restricted use. The French suffix is from Latin -ina, fem. form of -inus,
suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, and thus is identical with -ine (1).
adenine, adrenaline,

-ion word-forming element attached to verbs, making nouns of state, condition, or action, from
French -ion or directly from Latin -ionem (nominative -io, genitive -ionis), common suffix forming
abstract nouns from verbs.

-ism word-forming element making nouns implying a practice, system, doctrine, etc., from French -
isme or directly from Latin -isma, -ismus (source also of Italian, Spanish -ismo, Dutch, German -
ismus), from Greek -ismos, noun ending signifying the practice or teaching of a thing, from the stem
of verbs in -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or adjective to which it is
attached. For distinction of use, see -ity. The related Greek suffix -isma(t)- affects some forms.
alcoholism

-ist word-forming element meaning "one who does or makes," also used to indicate adherence to a
certain doctrine or custom, from French -iste and directly from Latin -ista (source also of Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian -ista), from Greek agent-noun ending -istes, which is from -is-, ending of the stem
of verbs in -izein, + agential suffix -tes. Variant -ister (as in chorister, barrister) is from Old French -
istre, on false analogy of ministre. Variant -ista is from Spanish, popularized in American English
1970s by names of Latin-American revolutionary movements.
activist, alarmist,

-ity word-forming element making abstract nouns from adjectives and meaning "condition or
quality of being ______," from Middle English -ite, from Old French -ete (Modern French -ité) and
directly from Latin -itatem (nominative -itas), suffix denoting state or condition, composed of -i-
(from the stem or else a connective) + the common abstract suffix -tas (see -ty (2)). Roughly, the
word in -ity usually means the quality of being what the adjective describes, or concretely an
instance of the quality, or collectively all the instances; & the word in -ism means the disposition, or
collectively all those who feel it. [Fowler]

-ive word-forming element making adjectives from verbs, meaning "pertaining to, tending to;
doing, serving to do," in some cases from Old French -if, but usually directly from Latin adjectival
suffix -ivus (source also of Italian and Spanish -ivo). In some words borrowed from French at an early
date it has been reduced to -y (as in hasty, tardy).
acquisitive, addictive,

-ize word-forming element used to make verbs, Middle English -isen, from Old French -iser, from
Late Latin -izare, from Greek -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or
adjective to which it is attached. English picked up the French form, but partially reverted to the
correct Greek -z- spelling from late 16c. In Britain, despite the opposition to it (at least formerly) of
OED, Encyclopaedia Britannica, the "Times of London," and Fowler, -ise remains dominant. Fowler
thinks this is to avoid the difficulty of remembering the short list of common words not from Greek
which must be spelled with an -s- (such as advertise, devise, surprise).

-ly (1) suffix forming adjectives from nouns and meaning "having qualities of, appropriate to,
fitting;" irregularly descended from Old English -lic, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (Old Frisian -lik,
Dutch -lijk, Old High German -lih, German -lich, Old Norse -ligr), related to *likom- "appearance,
form" (Old English lich "corpse, body;" see lich, which is a cognate; see also like (adj.), with which it is
identical).

-ly (2) adverbial suffix, Middle English, from Old English -lice, from Proto-Germanic *-liko-
(cognates: Old Frisian -like, Old Saxon -liko, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -licho, German -lich, Old
Norse -liga, Gothic -leiko); see -ly (1). Cognate with lich, and identical with like (adj.). Weekley notes
as "curious" that Germanic uses a word essentially meaning "body" for the adverbial formation,
while Romanic uses one meaning "mind" (as in French constamment from Latin constanti mente).
The modern English form emerged in late Middle English, probably from influence of Old Norse -liga.
actively, alarmingly

-ment suffix forming nouns, originally from French and representing Latin -mentum, which was
added to verb stems sometimes to represent the result or product of the action. French inserts an -e-
between the verbal root and the suffix (as in commenc-e-ment from commenc-er; with verbs in ir, -i-
is inserted instead (as in sent-i-ment from sentir). Used with English verb stems from 16c. (for
example merriment, which also illustrates the habit of turning -y to -i- before this suffix).
 acknowledgeacknowledgement agree agreement
adjust adjustment
adore adornment
advance advancement
advertise advertisement

-ness word-forming element denoting action, quality, or state, attached to an adjective or past
participle to form an abstract noun, from Old English -nes(s), from Proto-Germanic *in-assu-
(cognates: Old Saxon -nissi, Middle Dutch -nisse, Dutch -nis, Old High German -nissa, German -nis,
Gothic -inassus), from *-in-, noun stem, + *-assu-, abstract noun suffix, probably from the same root
as Latin -tudo (see -tude).

-ness = -nis -ness = -heit/-keit

Wildnis wilderness Blindheit blindness
Lebendigkeit aliveness

-oid word-forming element meaning "like, like that of, thing like a ______," from Latinized form of
Greek -oeides, from eidos "form," related to idein "to see," eidenai "to know;" literally "to see," from
PIE *weid-es-, from root *weid- "to see, to know" (see vision). The -o- is connective or a stem vowel
from the previous element.
adenoid,

-ory adjective and noun suffix, "having to do with, characterized by, tending to, place for," from
Middle English -orie, from Old North French -ory, -orie (Old French -oir, -oire), from Latin -orius, -oria,
-orium. Latin adjectives in -orius, according to "An Etymological Dictionary of the French Language,"
tended to "indicate a quality proper to the action accomplished by the agent; as oratorius from
orator; laudatorius from laudator. The neuter of these adjectives was early employed as a
substantive, and usually denoted the place of residence of the agent or the instrument that he uses;
as praetorium from praetor; dormitorium from dormitor; auditorium, dolatorium. "These newer
words, already frequent under the Empire, became exceedingly numerous at a later time, especially
in ecclesiastical and scholastic Latin; as purgatorium, refectorium, laboratorium, observatorium, &c."
[transl. G.W. Kitchin, Oxford, 1878]
advisory,

-ose (1) word-forming element used to make adjectives from nouns, with the meaning "full of,
abounding in, having qualities of," from Latin -osus (see -ous).

-ose (2) standard ending in chemical names of sugars, originally simply a noun-forming suffix, taken
up by French chemists mid-19c.; it has no etymological connection with sugar. It appears around the
same time in two chemical names, cellulose, which would owe it to the French suffix, and glucose,
where it would be a natural result from the Greek original. Flood favors origin from glucose.

-ous word-forming element making adjectives from nouns, meaning "having, full of, having to do
with, doing, inclined to," from Old French -ous, -eux, from Latin -osus (compare -ose (1)). In
chemistry, "having a lower valence than forms expressed in -ic."

-rel also -erel, diminutive or deprecatory word-forming element, in some cases from Old French -
erel (Modern French -ereau) or -erelle, but mostly used with native stems.
-some (1) word-forming element used in making adjectives from nouns or adjectives (and
sometimes verbs) and meaning "tending to; causing; to a considerable degree," from Old English -
sum, identical with som (see some). Cognate with Old Frisian -sum, German -sam, Old Norse -samr;
also related to same.
adventuresome,

-some (2) suffix added to numerals meaning "a group of (that number)," as in twosome, from
pronoun use of Old English sum "some" (see some). Originally a separate word used with the genitive
plural (as in sixa sum "six-some"); the inflection disappeared in Middle English and the pronoun was
absorbed. Use of some with a number meaning "approximately" also was in Old English.

-some (3) word-forming element meaning "the body," Modern Latin, from Greek soma "the body"
(see somato-).

-ship word-forming element meaning "quality, condition; act, power, skill; office, position; relation
between," Middle English -schipe, from Old English -sciepe, Anglian -scip "state, condition of being,"
from Proto-Germanic *-skapaz (cognates: Old Norse -skapr, Danish -skab, Old Frisian -skip, Dutch -
schap, German -schaft), from *skap- "to create, ordain, appoint," from PIE root *(s)kep-, forming
words meaning "to cut, scrape, hack" (see shape (v.)).

-ship = -schaft -ship = -heit/-keit -ship = sonstige Suffixe

Verwandschaft kinship

-th (1) word-forming element making ordinal numbers (fourth, tenth, etc.), Old English -ða, from
Proto-Germanic *-tha- (cognates: Gothic -da, -ta, Old High German -do, -to, Old Norse -di, -ti), from
PIE *-to-, also *-eto-, *-oto-, suffix forming adjectives "marking the accomplishment of the notion of
the base" [Watkins]. Cognate with Sanskrit thah, Greek -tos, Latin -tus; Sanskrit ta-, Lithuanian and
Old Church Slavonic to, Greek to "the," Latin talis "such;" Greek telikos "so old," Old Church Slavonic
toli "so," toliku "so much," Russian toliko "only;" also see -ed.

-th (2) suffix forming nouns of action, state, or quality from verbs or adjectives (such as depth,
strength, truth), from Old English -ðu, -ð, from Proto-Germanic *-itho (cognates: Old Norse -þ, Old
High German -ida, Gothic -iþa), abstract noun suffix, from PIE *-ita (cognates: Sanskrit -tati-; Greek -
tet-; Latin -tati-, as in libertatem "liberty" from liber "free"). Sometimes in English reduced to -t,
especially after -h- (as in height).

-th/-t = -e andere Beispiele -th/-t = sonstige Suffixe

Fäule filth (=Dreck) bear berth (=Schlafkoje) (Ge)burt birth
Länge length dear dearth (=Mangel) Dieb(stahl) theft
Höhe height die death (Dieb)stahl stealth (=List)
Stränge strength (=Stärke) Lat. fides faith Jugend youth
Tiefe depth grow growth Ziel tilth
Wärme warmth merry mirth (=Fröhsinn) (=Bodenbestellung)

Weite width rue (=bereuen) ruth (=Mitleid)

(*Heile) health slow sloth (=Faulheit)
wroth (=zornig) wrath (=Zorn)

-tude syllable formed when the word-forming element -ude, making abstract nouns from adjectives
and participles, is fixed to a base or to another suffix ending in -t or -te; from French -ude, from Latin
-udo (stem -udin-). The equivalent of native -ness.
-ty (1) suffix representing "ten" in cardinal numbers that are multiples of 10 (sixty, seventy, etc.),
from Old English -tig, from a Germanic root (cognates: Old Saxon, Dutch -tig, Old Frisian -tich, Old
Norse -tigr, Old High German -zug, German -zig) that existed as a distinct word in Gothic (tigjus) and
Old Norse (tigir) meaning "tens, decades." Compare tithe (n.). English, like many other Germanic
languages, retains traces of a base-12 number system. The most obvious instance is eleven and
twelve which ought to be the first two numbers of the "teens" series. Their Old English forms,
enleofan and twel(eo)f(an), are more transparent: "leave one" and "leave two." Old English also
had hund endleofantig for "110" and hund twelftig for "120." One hundred was hund teantig. The -tig
formation ran through 12 cycles, and could have bequeathed us numbers *eleventy ("110") and
*twelfty ("120") had it endured, but already during the Anglo-Saxon period it was being obscured.
Old Norse used hundrað for "120" and þusend for "1,200." Tvauhundrað was "240" and þriuhundrað
was "360." Older Germanic legal texts distinguished a "common hundred" (100) from a "great
hundred" (120). This duodecimal system is "perhaps due to contact with Babylonia" [Lass, "Old
English"].

-ty (2) suffix used in forming abstract nouns from adjectives (such as safety, surety), Middle English
-tie, -te, from Old French -te (Modern French -té), from Latin -tatem (nominative -tas, genitive -tatis),
cognate with Greek -tes, Sanskrit -tati-. Also see -ity.

-ure suffix forming abstract nouns of action, from Old French -ure, from Latin -ura, an ending of
fem. nouns denoting employment or result.
admixture,

-y (1) noun suffix, in army, city, country, etc., from Old French -e, Latin -atus, -atum, past participle
suffix of verbs of the first conjugation.

-y (2) adjective suffix, "full of or characterized by," from Old English -ig, from Proto-Germanic *-iga-
(source also of Dutch, Danish, German -ig, Gothic -egs), from PIE -(i)ko-, adjectival suffix, cognate
with elements in Greek -ikos, Latin -icus (see -ic). Originally added to nouns in Old English; used from
13c. with verbs, and by 15c. even with other adjectives (for example crispy).

-y = -ig -y = sonstiges
lüftig aery
blutig bloody

-y (3) suffix in pet proper names (such as Johnny, Kitty), first recorded in Scottish c. 1400; according
to OED it became frequent in English 15c.-16c. Extension to surnames seems to date from c. 1940.
Use with common nouns seems to have begun in Scottish with laddie (1546) and become popular in
English due to Burns' poems, but the same formation appears to be represented much earlier in baby
and puppy.

-y (4) suffix indicating state, condition, or quality; also activity or the result of it (as in victory,
history, etc.), via Anglo-French and Old French é, from Latin -ia, Greek -ia, from PIE *-a-, suffix
forming abstract or collective nouns. It is etymologically identical with -ia and the second element in
-cy, -ery, -logy, etc.

Hindernis hindrance Probe rehearsal Siedlung settlement

-er -schaft  -ship -heit  -hood
Fischer fisher Verwandschaft kinship Bruderschaft brotherhood
Wächter watcher Nachbarschaft neighborhood
-nis  -ness -voll  -full -heit  -dom
Wildnis wilderness dankbar thankfull Freiheit freedom
Weisheit wisdom