Galician edit

Etymology edit

From Old Galician-Portuguese -on, probably from the ending of Latin words belonging to the Third Declension (, -ōnem), used sometimes to change the sense or usage of original term. In this case, Galician -ón would be cognate to Portuguese -ão, Spanish -ón, Italian -one and French -on, compare Romanian -oi.

Pronunciation edit

Suffix edit

-ón m (noun-forming suffix, plural -óns, feminine -ona, feminine plural -onas)

  1. (added to verbs) a person or thing that does an action indicated by the root verb; used to form an agent noun
    ornear (to horn, trumpet) + ‎-ón → ‎orneón (drone of a bagpipe)
    pisar (to press) + ‎-ón → ‎pisón (rammer)
    podar (to prune) + ‎-ón → ‎podón (prunning hook)
  2. forms a noun from a different (usually larger) but related or similar one
    abella (bee) + ‎-ón → ‎abellón (drone)
    cagalla (dropping) + ‎-ón → ‎cagallón (turd)
    caixa (box) + ‎-ón → ‎caixón (drawer)
  3. forms the augmentative of nouns

Derived terms edit

Ligurian edit

Etymology edit

From Latin -ōne(m), accusative of (3rd declension noun suffix).

Pronunciation edit

Suffix edit

-ón m (plural -oìn, feminine -ónn-a)

  1. Emphasizes that something is large, grand, intense, important
    mêgo (physician) + ‎-ón → ‎mêgón (healer)
  2. Used with a verb stem to form agent nouns
    giastemâ (to blaspheme) + ‎-ón → ‎giastemón (blasphemer)

Spanish edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈon/ [ˈõn]
  • Rhymes: -on
  • Syllabification: -ón

Etymology 1 edit

Probably from the ending of Latin words belonging to the Third Declension (, -ōnem), used sometimes to change the sense or usage of original term. In this case, Spanish -ón would be cognate to Portuguese -ão, Italian -one, French -on (whence English -oon), and Romanian -oi.

Suffix edit

-ón m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ones, feminine -ona, feminine plural -onas)
-ón (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -ona, masculine plural -ones, feminine plural -onas)

  1. emphasizes that something is large, grand, intense, important
    problema + ‎-ón → ‎problemón (a big trouble)
  2. indicates that someone or something has large attributes, or larger than usual
    ceja + ‎-ón → ‎cejón (having large eyebrows)
    cabeza + ‎-ón → ‎cabezón (having large head)
  3. for few cases, indicates that something is used wrong or frequently (forming adjectives and or nouns)
    boca + ‎-ón → ‎bocón (big-mouth, big-mouthed, boastful)
  4. emphasizes contempt for subject
  5. forms a noun from a different (usually larger) but related or similar one
    silla (chair) + ‎-ón → ‎sillón (armchair)
    caja (box) + ‎-ón → ‎cajón (drawer)
  6. suffixed to verbs, doing something repeatedly or often
    llorar + ‎-ón → ‎llorón (something or someone that cries)
    mirar + ‎-ón → ‎mirón (something or someone that watches)
  7. (rare) for very few cases, indicates small size of or a lack of something (such as an ironic augmentative)
    pelo + ‎-ón → ‎pelón (with little or no hair)
    rabo + ‎-ón → ‎rabón (with little or no tail)
    rata (rat) + ‎-ón → ‎ratón (mouse)
    tapa + ‎-ón → ‎tapón (cork, stopper, a little cover or lid)
    monte + ‎-ón → ‎montón (heap, pile, a "little mountain"); although its origin may be a comparison with a little mountain of something, it also means "big amount"
Usage notes edit
  • The suffix produces adjectives or nouns.
  • Some Spanish words ending with this suffix have neither a Latin nor a Greek etymology, but an Arabic one:
  • Many Spanish words end with -on (lacking a written accent, being always paroxytone), but most of those cases is an inflection for the third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes) preterite indicative form of a verb:
See also edit

Etymology 2 edit

Borrowed from English -on, a suffix extracted from argon, krypton and neon, the first three noble gases to be named, respectively from Ancient Greek ἀργόν (argón, lazy, inactive), κρυπτόν (kruptón, hidden) and νέον (néon, new); hence, ultimately from Ancient Greek -ον (-on), cognate with Latin -um.

Suffix edit

-ón m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ones)

  1. (chemistry) ending of every chemical element belonging only to the noble gases group, except helium (in Spanish helio)
    neón, criptón, argón, xenón, radón
Usage notes edit

Etymology 3 edit

Borrowed from English -on, a suffix extracted from electron, originally a blend of electric + ion, named by Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney.

Suffix edit

-ón m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ones)

  1. (nuclear physics) ending of most or every subatomic particle
    protón, electrón, neutrón, bosón, hadrón

Further reading edit