-illus

See also: illus.

Latin

Etymology

Rebracketing of diminutive suffix -lus on such nouns as sigillum (signum + -lus), used freely.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈil.lus/, [ˈɪlːʲʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈil.lus/, [ˈilːus]

Suffix

-illus

1. Used to form diminutives of nouns.

Usage notes

The suffix -illus and variants (-illa, -illum) are used almost invariably to create the diminutive form of a noun.

Examples:

furcilla (“very small fork”), from furca (“fork”)

lapillus (“very small stone, pebble, gem”), from lapis (“stone”)

pūnctillum (“very small dot”), from punctum (“point, spot”)

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-illus	-illa	-illum		-illī	-illae	-illa
Genitive	-illī	-illae	-illī		-illōrum	-illārum	-illōrum
Dative	-illō		-illō		-illīs
Accusative	-illum	-illam	-illum		-illōs	-illās	-illa
Ablative	-illō	-illā	-illō		-illīs
Vocative	-ille	-illa	-illum		-illī	-illae	-illa

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -illus

Descendants

• Sicilian: -iḍḍu, -illu
• Spanish: -illo