-eiro

See also: eiro

Contents

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• -eyro (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Portuguese -eiro, from Latin -ārius and -ārium, with metathesis of "i" (through a Vulgar Latin form *-airu). Compare Spanish -ero. Doublet of the borrowed suffix -ário.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɐjru/
• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈe(j)ɾu/
• (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈe(j)ɾo/

Suffix

-eiro m (feminine -eira, plural -eiros, feminine plural -eiras)

1. forms nouns from nouns or verbs, denoting someone who works with the suffixed noun or engages in the suffixed verb; -er; -eer

   ‎cozinha (“kitchen”) + ‎-eiro → ‎cozinheiro (“cook”)

   ‎aventura (“adventure”) + ‎-eiro → ‎aventureiro (“adventurer”)

   ‎companhia (“company”) + ‎-eiro → ‎companheiro (“companion”)

   Synonyms: -ário, -dor, -ista

2. forms nouns, from nouns denoting a location or type of location, meaning “someone from the location” and adjectives meaning “of, from or related to the location”

   ‎Brasil (“Brazil”) + ‎-eiro → ‎brasileiro (“Brazilian”)

   ‎costa (“coast”) + ‎-eiro → ‎costeiro (“of the coast; someone who lives by the coast”)

   Synonyms: -ano, -ão, -ense, -ês, -iço

3. forms nouns from the names of fruits or other plant products, denoting the plant bearing them, usually trees and shrubs

   ‎pêssego (“peach fruit”) + ‎-eiro → ‎pessegueiro (“peach tree”)

   ‎rosa (“rose”) + ‎-eira → ‎roseira (“rosebush”)

   Synonym: pé-de-

4. (usually feminine) forms nouns, from nouns or adjectives, denoting a state, property or quality of being the suffixed adjective or having the suffixed noun; -ity, -ness

   ‎sujo (“filthy”) + ‎-eira → ‎sujeira (“filth”)

   ‎besta (“foolish”) + ‎-eira → ‎besteira (“foolery”)

   ‎nojo (“disgust”) + ‎-eira → ‎nojeira (“something disgusting”)

   Synonyms: -eza, -ice, -ície

5. forms nouns, from nouns, denoting a place where there is plenty of the suffixed noun

   ‎lama (“mud”) + ‎-eiro → ‎lameiro (“place with a lot of mud”)

   Synonym: -al

6. forms nouns, from verbs, denoting a place where the suffixed verb is likely to occur

   ‎atolar (“to bog down”) + ‎-eiro → ‎atoleiro (“place where vehicles bog down frequently”)

   Synonym: -douro

7. forms the names of trees, often synonyms

   ‎carvalho (“oak”) + ‎-eira → ‎carvalheira (“English oak”)

   ‎azinho (“holm oak”) + ‎-eira → ‎azinheira (“holm oak”)

   ‎pinho (“pine tree”) + ‎-eiro → ‎pinheiro (“pine tree”)

8. forms nouns from nouns, denoting a container for the suffixed noun

   ‎lápis (“pencil”) + ‎-eiro → ‎lapiseiro (“pencil case”)

   ‎sal (“salt”) + ‎-eiro → ‎saleiro (“salt cellar”)

9. forms adjectives meaning “which transports the suffixed noun”, and nouns meaning “a ship which transports the suffixed noun”

   ‎carga (“cargo; load”) + ‎-eiro → ‎cargueiro (“which transports cargo”)

   navio (“ship”) + ‎negro (“black person”) + ‎-eiro → ‎navio-negreiro (“slave ship”)

   ‎petróleo (“petroleum”) + ‎-eiro → ‎petroleiro (“oil tanker”)

10. forms nouns, from the name of a drug, denoting someone who is addicted to the drug; -head

    ‎maconha (“marijuana”) + ‎-eiro → ‎maconheiro (“stoner; pothead”)

11. forms nouns and adjectives, from nouns, denoting a fan of the suffixed noun

    ‎metal (“heavy metal”) + ‎-eiro → ‎metaleiro (“metalhead”)

    ‎novela (“soap opera”) + ‎-eiro → ‎noveleiro (“fan of soap operas”)

Related terms

• -ário