-ous

English

Alternative forms

• -ious
• -atous

Etymology

From Old French -ous and -eux, from Latin -ōsus (“full, full of”).

Suffix

-ous

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns.

   bulbous from bulb

   courageous from courage

   joyous from joy

   poisonous from poison

   riotous from riot

2. (chemistry) Used in chemical nomenclature to name chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -ic. For example sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than sulphurous acid (H₂SO₃). See Inorganic nomenclature.

Synonyms

• -ness
• -hood
• -ship
• -itas
• -itude
• -th
• -ia
• -itia
• -ity
• -ability
• -ibility
• -icity
• -osity
• -ose

Derived terms

[+] English words suffixed with -ous

Translations

Note - translations of English words ending in -ous do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

suffix to form adjectives

• Catalan: -ós (ca) m, -osa (ca) f
• French: -eux (fr) m, -euse (fr) f
• Italian: -oso (it) m, -osa (it) f
• Latin: -osus (la)
• Norwegian: -øs (no)

• Polish: -y (pl) m, -awy (pl) m, -ny (pl) m
• Portuguese: -oso (pt) m, -osa (pt) f
• Romanian: -os m & n
• Spanish: -oso (es), -udo (es)

chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number

• Spanish: -oso (es)

See also

• -y

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Old French

Suffix

-ous

1. Alternative form of -us.