-nieks
Latvian
editEtymology
editCognate with Lithuanian -ininkas (note that -nieks often causes palatalization of the preceding consonant, or even occurs as -inieks, with an initial i that corresponds to the initial i of the Lithuanian suffix; e.g. tirdzinieks) and Proto-Slavic *-nikъ. The feminine form -niece is derived from -nieks with the feminine suffix -e, with palatalization of the final k to c.
Suffix
edit-nieks, -niece
- Added to nouns (or sometimes to adjectives and a few verbs) to form masculine (-nieks) or feminine (-niece) agent nouns, referring to a person whose activity or occupation the original term is (like English -er), or who inhabits the place (city, country, etc.) named by the original term (like English -ian).
- Used to nominalize numerals to refer to numbers in the form of nouns (e.g., when speaking of grades, bills (banknotes), when mentioning numbers as labels that identify entities, etc.)
Synonyms
editDerived terms
editRelated terms
edit- -niece (feminine counterpart of -nieks)