-ment
English Edit
Alternative forms Edit
Etymology Edit
From Middle English -ment, from Late Latin -amentum, from -mentum via Old French -ment.
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form nouns from verbs, the nouns having the sense of "the action or result of what is denoted by the verb".
Usage notes Edit
Generally attached to stem without changes, except when the stem ends in -dge, where the -e is sometimes dropped, as in abridgment, acknowledgment, judgment, and lodgment, with the forms without -e being preferred in American English. Of these, judgment is the most significant, and usage varies globally; see Judgment: Spelling for discussion.
Synonyms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Translations Edit
See also Edit
Anagrams Edit
Catalan Edit
Pronunciation Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
Inherited from Old Catalan -ment, from Latin mente, ablative singular of mēns (“mind”).
Suffix Edit
-ment
- added to the feminine singular form of an adjective to form an adverb; compare English -wise, -ly
- actual (“current”) + -ment → actualment (“currently”)
Usage notes Edit
In adverbs formed with the suffix -ment, two syllables are stressed: the syllable that was stressed in the original adjective, and the suffix. For example, ràpida (“quick”, feminine singular) yields ràpidament (“quickly”), which is stressed /ˌra.pi.ðə.ˈmen/, as if spelled ràpidamént.
Derived terms Edit
Etymology 2 Edit
Inherited from Old Catalan -ment, from Latin -mentum, from earlier Latin -menta.
Suffix Edit
-ment m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ments)
Derived terms Edit
French Edit
Pronunciation Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
Inherited from Middle French -ment, from Old French -ment, from Latin mente, ablative singular of mēns (“mind”). This Latin noun was feminine, which explains why adverbs formed with this suffix use the feminine form of the adjective; for example, vivement comes from vive (feminine form of vif) + -ment, and could be glossed as "in a lively spirit".
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form adverbs (from the feminine form of an adjective), most of the time equivalent to the English -wise, -ly.
- rapide + -ment → rapidement
Usage notes Edit
With adjectives ending in -ant(e), -ent(e), the suffix combines with the ending to produce -amment, -emment (both pronounced /a.mɑ̃/).
Derived terms Edit
Etymology 2 Edit
Inherited from Middle French -ment, from Old French -ment, from Late Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta, from Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ plus *-teh₂.
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state. Equivalent to the English -ment.
- parer + -ment → parement
- abandonner + -ment → abandonnement
- manier + -ment → maniement
Derived terms Edit
Descendants Edit
- → Norwegian Bokmål: -ment
Maltese Edit
Etymology Edit
Borrowed from Sicilian -menti and Italian -mente, from Latin mens.
Pronunciation Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Forms adverbs form adjectives; -ly
Usage notes Edit
- Generally restricted to adjectives of Romance origin, but occasional exceptions such as ħerqanament (“eagerly”) are attestable.
Derived terms Edit
Middle English Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old French -ment, from Latin -mentum.
Pronunciation Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Forms nouns denoting a result or action from verbal roots; -ment.
Derived terms Edit
Descendants Edit
References Edit
- “-ment, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-2.
Middle French Edit
Etymology Edit
- From Old French -ment, from Latin mente, the ablative singular of mēns (“mind”).
- From Old French -ment, from Late Latin -mentum
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form adverbs, most of the time equivalent to the English -wise, -ly.
- Used to form nouns from verbs, usually of action or state resulting of them. Equivalent to the English -ment.
Descendants Edit
Norman Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old French -ment, from Latin mente, the ablative singular of mēns (“mind”).
Suffix Edit
-ment
- used to form adverbs (from the feminine form of an adjective)
Derived terms Edit
Norwegian Bokmål Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
From Late Latin -mentum (“instrument, medium, or result of”), from -menta, from Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥teh₂, from *-mn̥ (creates action nouns or result nouns) + *-teh₂ (forms nouns representing state of being).
Pronunciation Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment (definite singular neuter -mentet, definite singular masculine -menten, indefinite plural -ment or -menter, definite plural -mentene or -menta)
- Used to form nouns from verbal stems, often denoting an action, means or state; -ment
- dokument, eksperiment, fundament, instrument, medikament, pigment ― document, experiment, foundation, instrument, drug, pigment
Etymology 2 Edit
From French -ment, from Middle French -ment, from Old French -ment, from Late Latin -mentum (“instrument, medium, or result of”), from -menta, from Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥teh₂, from *-mn̥ (creates action nouns or result nouns) + *-teh₂ (forms nouns representing state of being).
Pronunciation Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment (definite singular neuter -mentet, definite singular masculine -menten, indefinite plural -ment or -menter, definite plural -mentene or -menta)
- Used to form nouns often denoting action, means or state; -ment
- abonnement, arrangement, bombardement, resonnement, signalement ― subscription, event, bombardment, reasoning, signaling
References Edit
Anagrams Edit
Occitan Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old Occitan, from Late Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta.
Suffix Edit
-ment
Derived terms Edit
Old French Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
From Latin mente, ablative singular of mēns (“mind”).
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form adverbs, most of the time equivalent to the English -wise, -ly.
- Example: hastivement
Descendants Edit
Etymology 2 Edit
- From Late Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta.
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Used to form nouns from verbs, usually of action or state resulting of them. Equivalent to the English -ment.
- Example: bastissement
Descendants Edit
Scots Edit
Etymology Edit
From Middle English -ment.
Pronunciation Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment
- Forms nouns denoting a result or action from verbal roots; -ment.
Swedish Edit
Suffix Edit
-ment