-ian

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ian"

English

Alternative forms

• -an, -n

Etymology

From Latin -iānus, which forms adjectives of belonging or origin from a noun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iːən/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Suffix

-ian

1. (as an adjective) From, related to, or like.
2. (as a noun) One from, belonging to, relating to, or like.
3. (as a noun) Having a certain profession.

Usage notes

• When males with a profession are distinguished from females, males are -ian, females -ienne.
• The plural is -ians (one magician, two magicians).
• When added to a word ending in a vowel, the infix -v- is inserted (Peruvian, Whovian), though this can be optional (Rousseauvian).

Coordinate terms

• -al
• -an
• -ar
• -ate
• -ese
• -ian
• -ic
• -id
• -ish
• -oid
• -ory
• -ous
• quasi-
• -y

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -ian

related to

• Arthurian
• Hermitian
• Newtonian
• Lipschitzian
• utopian
• Washingtonian
• Wilmingtonian

belonging to

• physician
• politician
• magician

having a profession

• comedian (compare comedienne)
• musician

Related terms

• -ienne

Translations

related to

• Belarusian: -скі (-ski)
• Catalan: -ià (ca)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: use attributive noun

  Mandarin: use attributive noun

• Czech: -ský (cs), -ký (after s, c or k)
• Dutch: -isch (nl)
• French: -ien (fr)
• Galician: -ian m
• Georgian: -ური (-uri), -ული (-uli) (in words ending with -r)
• German: -isch (de)
• Hungarian: -i (hu)
• Interlingua: -ian
• Italian: -iano m, -iana f
• Old Church Slavonic: -ьскъ (-ĭskŭ)
• Polish: -ski (pl)
• Russian: -ский (-skij), -ской (-skoj) (when stressed), -ец (ru) (-ec), -и́нец (-ínec), -инец (-inec), -инка f (-inka), -и́нка f (-ínka)
• Sanskrit: -ईय (-īya)
• Spanish: -iano (es) m, -iana f
• Ukrainian: -ський (-sʹkyj)

belonging to

• Belarusian: -скі (-ski)
• Czech: -ský (cs), -ký (after s, c or k)
• French: -ien (fr)
• Georgian: -ული (-uli) (in words ending with -r)
• Interlingua: -ian
• Italian: -iano
• Macedonian: -скӣ
• Old Church Slavonic: -ьскъ (-ĭskŭ)
• Polish: -ski (pl)
• Russian: -ский (-skij), -ской (-skoj) (when stressed), -ец (ru) (-ec), -и́нец (-ínec), -инец (-inec), -инка f (-inka), -и́нка f (-ínka)
• Sanskrit: -ईय f (-īya)
• Turkish: -ca (tr), -ce (tr)
• Ukrainian: -ський (-sʹkyj)

having a profession

• Dutch: -iant
• French: -ien (fr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Latin: ^{(please verify)} -ianus

Anagrams

• nai, AIN, INA, Nia, Ani, Ain, NIA, ani, ain', ANI, Ina, nia, ain

Middle English

Suffix

-ian

1. Alternative form of -ien (“-ian”)

Old English

Etymology

By syncope from earlier *-ōjan, a northern Ingvaeonic innovated form of Proto-West Germanic *-ōn, from Proto-Germanic *-ōną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.ɑn/

Suffix

-ian

1. Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -ian (weak class 2)

infinitive	-ian	-ienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	-iġe	-ode
second person singular	-ast	-odest
third person singular	-aþ	-ode
plural	-iaþ	-odon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	-iġe	-ode
plural	-iġen	-oden
imperative
singular	-a
plural	-iaþ
participle	present	past
	-iende	(ġe)-od

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -ian

Descendants

• Middle English: -ien, -en (merged with all other verbs)
  • English: -en, -e (obsolete)
  • Scots: -e (obsolete)

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-ijaną.

Suffix

-ian

1. used to form the infinitive of class 1 weak verbs (as well as a few strong verbs also ending in -ian like biddian or liggian, and class 3 weak verbs)

   wekkian "to awake" (class 1 weak verbs)

   seggian "to say" (class 3 weak verbs)

Conjugation

Conjugation of -ian (weak class 1)

infinitive	-ian
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	-iu	-ida
2nd person singular	-is	-ides
3rd person singular	-id	-ida
plural	-iad	-idun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	-ie	-idi
2nd person singular	-ies	-idis
3rd person singular	-ie	-idi
plural	-ien	-idin
imperative	present
singular	-i
plural	-iad
participle	present	past
	-iandi	gi-id, -id

Conjugation of -ian (weak class 3)

infinitive	-ian
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	-iu	-da
2nd person singular	-es	-des
3rd person singular	-ed	-da
plural	-iad	-dun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	-ie	-di
2nd person singular	-ies	-dis
3rd person singular	-ie	-di
plural	-ien	-din
imperative	present
singular	-e
plural	-iad
participle	present	past
	-iandi	gi-d, -d

Swedish

Suffix

-ian

1. (as a noun) Denotes a follower of something.

Usage notes

Words having this suffix can have an additional suffix -ism for an idea (e.g. kantianism) and an additional suffix -sk to form an adjective (e.g. kantiansk).

Derived terms

Category Swedish terms suffixed with -ian not found

follower of

• bellmanian
• gustavian
• hegelian
• kantian
• kartesian
• rudbeckian
• schellingian
• thorildian
• wertherian

Welsh

Alternative forms

• -an

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jan/

Suffix

-ian

1. Forms verbnouns.

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -ian

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “-ian”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies