-ius

See also: ius, Ius, and IUs

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /i.us/, [i.ʊs] (stressed on the antepenult)

Etymology 1

From Old Latin -ios, from Proto-Indo-European *-yós.

Suffix

-ius (feminine -ia, neuter -ium); first/second-declension suffix

1. forming adjectives from nouns

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-ius	-ia	-ium		-iī	-iae	-ia
Genitive	-iī	-iae	-iī		-iōrum	-iārum	-iōrum
Dative	-iō		-iō		-iīs
Accusative	-ium	-iam	-ium		-iōs	-iās	-ia
Ablative	-iō	-iā	-iō		-iīs
Vocative	-ie	-ia	-ium		-iī	-iae	-ia

Usage notes

The suffix -ius is added to a noun to form an adjective indicating "made of" or "belonging to" that noun.

Examples:

‎pater (“father”) + ‎-ius → ‎patrius (“paternal”)

‎rēx (“king, ruler”) + ‎-ius → ‎rēgius (“kingly, royal”)

‎uxor (“wife”) + ‎-ius → ‎uxōrius (“uxorious”)

Derived terms

• -ium

► Latin words suffixed with -ius

Synonyms

• -āceus
• -āneus
• -ticus

References

• “-ius” on page 986/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

Etymology 2

See -ior (suffix forming adjectives’ comparative degrees).

Suffix

-ius

1. nominative neuter singular of -ior
2. accusative neuter singular of -ior
3. vocative neuter singular of -ior

Etymology 3

See -ō (suffix forming adverbs).

Suffix

-ius

1. comparative degree of -ō

Etymology 4

From Proto-Italic *-osjo, itself from Proto-Indo-European *-ósyo, genitive case suffix.

Suffix

-ius

1. genitive suffix for some irregular pronouns.

Usage notes

It is only used in specific irregular pronouns for the genetive case.

Examples

qui, cuius

hic, huius

is, eius