-ant


a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from verbs, occurring originally in french and latin loanwords (pleasant; constant; servant) and productive in english on this model; -ant, has the general sense “characterized by or serving in the capacity of” that named by the stem (ascendant; pretendant), especially in the formation of nouns denoting human agents in legal actions or other formal procedures (tenant; defendant; applicant; contestant). in technical and commercial coinages, -ant, is a suffix of nouns denoting impersonal physical agents (propellant; lubricant; deodorant). in general, -ant, can be added only to bases of latin origin, with a very few exceptions, as coolant .
see also -ent.
-ant
suffix, suffix
causing or performing an action or existing in a certain condition; the agent that performs an action pleasant, claimant, deodorant, protestant, servant
word origin
from latin -ant-, ending of present participles of the first conjugation

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