-isc

See also: ISC, -isc-, and iść

Middle English

Suffix

-isc

1. Alternative form of -yssh

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iʃ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *-isk.

Suffix

-isċ

1. of or relating to: -ish

   ‎ċild (“child”) + ‎-isc → ‎ċildisċ (“childish”)

   ‎ielf (“elf”) + ‎-isc → ‎ielfisċ (“elvish”)

   ‎man (“person”) + ‎-isc → ‎mennisċ (“human”)

   ‎þēod (“nation”) + ‎-isc → ‎þēodisċ (“national”)

Usage notes

• Replaces Latin -icus in loanwords.
• Almost the only suffix used to form adjectives meaning "of some ethnic group or nationality": Frīsa (“a Frisian”) → Frīsisċ (“Frisian”). Other examples include Āfricānisċ (“African”), Arabisċ (“Arabian”), Assyrisċ (“Assyrian”), Brettisċ (“British”), Centisċ (“Kentish”), Crēċisċ (“Greek”), Denisċ (“Danish”), Egyptisċ (“Egyptian”), Englisċ (“English”), Fēnisċ (“Phoenician”), Frenċisċ (“French/Frankish”), Gotisċ (“Gothic”), Indisċ (“Indian”), Iūdēisċ (“Jewish”), Ispānisċ (“Spanish”), Isrāēlisċ (“Israelite”), Langbeardisċ (“Lombardic”), Mæcedonisċ (“Macedonian”), Mierċisċ (“Mercian”), Norþanhymbrisċ (“Northumbrian”), Persisċ (“Persian”), Pihtisċ (“Pictish”), Rōmānisċ (“Roman”), Samaritānisċ (“Samaritan”), Sċyttisċ (“Scottish”), *Seaxisċ (“Saxon”), Sicilisċ (“Sicilian”), Syrisċ (“Syrian”), Troiānisċ (“Trojan”), and wīelisċ (“Welsh”). The word for "Ethiopian," Siġelhearwen, is a rare exception to this pattern.

Descendants

• Middle English: -ish, -isch
  • Scots: -is, -ish
  • English: -ish

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-iską, *-iskiją.

Alternative forms

• -isċe

Suffix

-isċ

2. suffix forming nouns with a collective or group force

   þeġnisċ ― service, religious service, ministry

   hīwisċ ― household

   īdisċ ― property, household, family belongings, stuff

Declension

Declension of -isc (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-isċ	-isċ
accusative	-isċ	-isċ
genitive	-isċes	-isċa
dative	-isċe	-isċum

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -isc

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *-isk.

Suffix

-isc

1. used to form adjectives

   himilisc (“heavenly”) from himil (“heaven”)

Derived terms

Category Old High German terms suffixed with -isc not found

Descendants

• German: -isch, -sch
  • → Dutch: -isch
• Luxembourgish: -esch
• Vilamovian: -yś
• Yiddish: ־יש (-ish)