-ous
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English -ous, from Old French -ous, -eux, from Latin -ōsus (“full, full of”). Doublet of -ose and -wise in unstressed position.
PronunciationEdit
SuffixEdit
-ous
- Used to form adjectives from nouns, to denote:
- possession of
- presence of a quality in any degree (typically abundance of)
- relation or pertinence to
- aptonym + -ous → aptonymous
- arrhenotoky + -ous → arrhenotokous
- (chemistry) Used in chemical nomenclature to name chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -ic. For example sulphuric acid (H2SO4) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than sulphurous acid (H2SO3). See Inorganic nomenclature.
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
Note: Translations of English words ending in -ous do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.
suffix to form adjectives
|
chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number
See alsoEdit
AnagramsEdit
Middle EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old French -ous, -us, -eus, from Latin -ōsus.
PronunciationEdit
SuffixEdit
-ous
- Forms adjectives from nouns or verbs, especially if of Romance origin.
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
- English: -ous
ReferencesEdit
- “-ǒus, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Old FrenchEdit
SuffixEdit
-ous
- Alternative form of -us