-ary
a suffix occurring originally in loanwords from cl-ssical and medieval latin, on adjectives (elementary; honorary; stationary; tributary), personal nouns (actuary; notary; secretary), or nouns denoting objects, especially receptacles or places (library; rosary; glossary). the suffix has the general sense “pertaining to, connected with” the referent named by the base; it is productive in english, sometimes with the additional senses “contributing to,” “for the purpose of,” and usually forming adjectives:
complimentary; visionary; revolutionary; inflationary.
-ary
suffix
(forming adjectives) of; related to; belonging to cautionary, rudimentary
(forming nouns)
a person connected with or engaged in missionary
a thing relating to; a place for commentary, aviary
word origin
from latin -ārius,-āria,-ārium
-ary
adj. and n. suffix, in most cases from l. -arius, -arium “connected with, pertaining to, the man engaged in.” it appears in words borrowed from l. in m.e. in later borrowings from latin to french, it became -aire and p-ssed into m.e. as -arie, subsequently -ary.
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- -ass
a combining form of -ss in the sense of ‘stupid person’ or ‘the b-ttocks’, used in slang words as an intensifier or with disparaging intent: big–ss; stupid–ss. –ss suffix used to form adjectives having b-ttocks of the specified sort: big–ss/ fat-ssed used to form adjectives and nouns 2 having a specified character or nature to […]
- -assed
–ss suffix used to form adjectives having b-ttocks of the specified sort: big–ss/ fat-ssed used to form adjectives and nouns 2 having a specified character or nature to a high degree: bad-ss/ wild-ssed/ silly–ss
- -aster
a diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing: criticaster; poetaster, oleaster. -aster2 chiefly biology. a combining form with the meaning “star,” used in the formation of compound words: diaster. origin -aster suffix a person or thing that is inferior or bears only a poor resemblance to what is […]
- -ata
a plural suffix occurring in loanwords from latin, forming nouns used especially in names of zoological groups: vertebrata. -ata2 a plural suffix occurring in loanwords from greek: stomata. origin