Latin

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Etymology

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By rebracketing of diminutives such as libellus (liber +‎ -lus) or fēmella (fēmina +‎ -la), where the stem consonants -n- and -r- shifted to -l- by regressive assimilation; or diminutives of diminutives such as porcellus (porculus +‎ -lus).

Pronunciation

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Suffix

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-ellus (feminine -ella, neuter -ellum); first/second-declension suffix

  1. Alternative form of -ulus
    ager + ‎-ellus → ‎agrellus (little field) (compare this to agellus, which is from ager +‎ -lus)

Usage notes

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The suffix -ellus is added to a noun to form a diminutive of that noun.

calamus (reed) + ‎-ellus → ‎calamellus (little reed or pen)

When added to an adjective, it forms a diminutive of that adjective.

hirtus (hairy) + ‎-ellus → ‎hirtellus (slightly hairy)

Declension

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First/second-declension adjective.

singular plural
masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
nominative -ellus -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella
genitive -ellī -ellae -ellī -ellōrum -ellārum -ellōrum
dative -ellō -ellae -ellō -ellīs
accusative -ellum -ellam -ellum -ellōs -ellās -ella
ablative -ellō -ellā -ellō -ellīs
vocative -elle -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella

Derived terms

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Descendants

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