-el

See also: Appendix:Variations of "el"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əl/, /l̩/

Etymology 1

From Middle English -el, from Old English -el, from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Alternative forms

• -le, -al

Suffix

-el

1. Suffix forming nouns, originally denoting an instrument, from verbs, usually spelt -le except after n and e.

   runnel, shovel, dotel

2. Diminutive suffix in words of Germanic origin.

   hatchel, hovel, gomeral

Etymology 2

From Middle English -el, a merger of two suffixes:

• Old English -el (diminutive suffix)
• Old French -el (diminutive suffix), from Latin -ellus

Suffix

-el

1. Suffix, originally diminutive, in words of mostly Romance origin.

   cupel, chapel, tunnel

Derived terms

► English words suffixed with -el

Anagrams

• -le, LE, Le, LαE, le

---

Abenaki

Suffix

-el

1. Used on verbs, together with the prefix k-, to indicate that the first person singular (I) is the actor and the second person singular (you) is the object of the verb.

   n'kezalmô

   I love

   k'kezalmel

   I love you (singular)

Usage notes

The suffix is spelled -ol by some writers.

See also

• -elba

---

Breton

Etymology

Cf. French -el (e.g. sexuel, individuel, industriel)

Suffix

-el

1. To make an adjective of a noun; -al

   ‎broad (“nation”) + ‎-el → ‎broadel (“national”)

Derived terms

► Breton words suffixed with -el

---

Danish

Suffix

-el

1. -al

Derived terms

► Danish words suffixed with -el

---

Dutch

Suffix

-el

1. -el
2. -elle

Derived terms

► Dutch words suffixed with -el

---

Esperanto

Suffix

-el

1. in [...] way

   -el is the ending for correlatives of manner or degree

Derived terms

• kiel: in what way, in what manner, how
• tiel: in that way, in that manner, thus
• ĉiel: in every way, in every manner
• iel: in some way, in some manner, somehow
• neniel: in no way, nohow
• (nonce) aliel: in another way, somehow else

---

French

Etymology

From Old French -el, inherited from Latin -ālis. Doublet of -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

Suffix

-el

1. To make an adjectival form of a noun; -al

   naturel from nature

Derived terms

► French words suffixed with -el

Descendants

• German: -ell

See also

• -al

---

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əl/

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology

Direct descendant of Proto-Germanic *-ilaz or from dialectal variants of -lein, which as well ultimately go back to *-ilaz or to *-ilingaz.

Suffix

-el

1. suffix in diminutives or in nouns indicating appurtenance

   ‎Kind (“child”) + ‎-el → ‎Kindel (“little child, darling”)

   ‎Arm (“arm”) + ‎-el → ‎Ärmel (“sleeve”)

   ‎Eiche (“oak”) + ‎-el → ‎Eichel (“acorn”)

2. suffix in agent and instrumental nouns

   Büttel, Meißel

Derived terms

► German words suffixed with -el

Further reading

• “-el” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

---

Hungarian

Etymology

-e- + -l

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɛl]

Suffix

-el

1. (personal suffix) Used to form the second-person singular present tense of verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz (indicative mood, indefinite conjugation).

   keres (“to seek”) → keresel (“you seek, you are seeking”)

2. (verb-forming suffix) Appended to a noun to form a verb.

   ebéd (“lunch”) → ebédel (“to eat lunch”)

3. (noun-forming suffix) Appended to a verb to form a noun (no longer productive in this role).

   lep (“to cover”) → lepel (“wrap”)

Usage notes

    Present tense indefinite - personal endings

Person		Back vowel	Front vowel
			unrounded	rounded
én	1st person singular	-ok	-ek	-ök
	-ik verbs (optional)	-om	-em	-öm
te	2nd person singular	-sz
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-asz	-esz
	after s, sz, z, dz	-ol	-el	-öl
ő maga ön	3rd person singular	–
	-ik verbs	-ik
mi	1st person plural	-unk	-ünk
ti	2nd person plural	-tok	-tek	-tök
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-otok	-etek	-ötök
ők maguk önök	3rd person plural	-nak	-nek
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-anak	-enek

• (personal suffix) Variants:

  -sz added to verbs not in the categories listed below

  vár (“to wait”) → vársz (“you wait, you are waiting”)

  -asz added to back vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít

  hall (“to hear”) → hallasz (“you hear, you are hearing”)

  tanít (“to teach”) → tanítasz (“you teach, you are teaching”)

  -esz added to front vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít

  dönt (“to decide”) → döntesz (“you decide, you are deciding”)

  segít (“to help”) → segítesz (“you help, you are helping”)

  -ol added to back vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  olvas (“to read”) → olvasol (“you read, you are reading”)

  -el added to unrounded front vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  vesz (“to buy”) → veszel (“you buy, you are buying”)

  -öl added to rounded front vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  főz (“to cook”) → főzöl (“you cook, you are cooking”)

• (verb-forming suffix) Harmonic variants:

  -l is added to words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-. Final long vowels may shorten, e.g. ű → ü.

  -ol is added to some back vowel words ending in a consonant

  -al is added to other back vowel words ending in a consonant

  -el is added to unrounded front vowel words ending in a consonant

  -öl is added to rounded front vowel words ending in a consonant

  -ál is added to some back vowel words ending in a consonant

Note: Certain words take another, synonymous suffix, -z/-oz/-az/-ez/-öz/-áz or -zik/-ozik/-azik/-ezik/-özik.

• (noun-forming suffix) Harmonic variants:

  -al is added to back vowel words

  -el is added to front vowel words

Derived terms

► Hungarian verbs suffixed with -el

► Hungarian nouns suffixed with -el

See also

• Category:Hungarian verb forms
• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

---

Low German

Etymology 1

From Middle Low German -el, from Old Saxon -il, from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Suffix

-el m

1. Suffix forming nouns originally denoting an agent from verbs.

   Lepel, Snavel, Stickel

Etymology 2

From Middle Low German -ling. Result of resegmentation of nouns with -el and -ing suffixes. See the English suffix -ling. Akin to English, Dutch and German -ling.

Suffix

-el m

1. A suffix that describes a male person (or other creature) in terms of a place of origin or a quality, as defined by the root to which it is added. Now often replaced by a compound with Jung for a male person, and Deern for a female person such as Lehrjung, Lehrdeern (male/female pupil).

Derived terms

• Bückel
• Stickel

---

Norman

Etymology

From Old French -el, from Latin -ālis.

Suffix

-el

1. makes an adjectival form of a noun; -al

Derived terms

► Norman words suffixed with -el

---

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /el/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *-a-l-.

Suffix

-el

1. Alternative form of -ol

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Alternative forms

• -il

Suffix

-el m

1. (causes i-mutation) agent and instrumental suffix creating nouns from verbs

   ‎crēopan (“to creep”) + ‎-el → ‎crypel (“cripple”)

   ‎bēodan (“to command”) + ‎-el → ‎bydel (“herald, messenger”)

   ‎spittan (“to dig”) + ‎-el → ‎spitel (“shovel”)

   ‎hladan (“to lade”) + ‎-el → ‎hlædel (“ladle”)

   ‎þrēapian (“to reprove, reprehend”) + ‎-el → ‎þrīpel (“instrument of punishment, cross”)

Declension

Declension of -el

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-el	-(e)las
accusative	-el	-(e)las
genitive	-(e)les	-(e)la
dative	-(e)le	-(e)lum

Descendants

• English: -le

---

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -ellus and -ellum.

Suffix

-el

1. Suffix that usually denotes a masculine noun

Descendants

French : -al, -eau, -el

---

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

Suffix

-el m

1. Forms masculine agent nouns.

Declension

Masculine personal:

declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele / -elowie
genitive	-ela	-eli / -elów
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-ela	-eli / -elów
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele / -elowie

Masculine animate:

declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele
genitive	-ela	-eli
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-ela	-ele
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele

Masculine inanimate:

declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele
genitive	-elu	-eli
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-el	-ele
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele

Derived terms

► Polish words suffixed with -el

---

Romanian

Etymology

From Latin -ellus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /el/

Suffix

-el m (plural -ei, feminine -ea, feminine plural -ele)

1. used to form a masculine diminutive of a word (e.g. ‎băiat (“boy”) + ‎-el → ‎băiețel (“little boy”)

Declension

declension of -el

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) -el	-elul	(niște) -ei	-eii
genitive/dative	(unui) -el	-elului	(unor) -ei	-eilor
vocative	-elule		-eilor

Synonyms

• -uș, -aș, -uț, -șor

Derived terms

► Romanian words suffixed with -el

Related terms

• -ea

---

Volapük

Suffix

-el

1. Used to indicate a maker of a certain thing.

Derived terms

► Volapük words suffixed with -el