-alis

Latin

Alternative forms

• -āris, -ēlis, -īlis, -ūlis

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *-li-, which later dissimilated into an early version of -āris (e.g., mīlitāris). Perhaps connected to *h₂el- (“to grow”) (cf. the sense of indolēs, from this root).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈaː.lis/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.lis/,

Suffix

-ālis (neuter -āle); third-declension two-termination suffix

1. Suffixed to nouns or numerals creating adjectives of relationship.

   ‎anima (“breath”) + ‎-ālis → ‎animālis (“animate, living”)

   ‎crūra (“legs”) + ‎-ālis → ‎crūrālis (“pertaining to the leg, crural”)

   ‎pedēs (“feet”) + ‎-ālis → ‎pedālis (“pertaining to the foot”)

   ‎duo (“two”) + ‎-ālis → ‎duālis (“dual”)

   ‎rēx (“king, ruler”) + ‎-ālis → ‎rēgālis (“regal, royal”)

   ‎nātūra (“nature”) + ‎-ālis → ‎nātūrālis (“natural”)

2. Suffixed to adjectives creating adjectives with an intensified meaning.

   ‎aequus (“equal in a given quality; even, level”) + ‎-ālis → ‎aequālis (“equal in every respect, identical in value; uniform, unvarying”)

   ‎aeternus (“having finite but long duration as if pertaining to an aetas; lasting”) + ‎-ālis → ‎aeternālis (“having infinite duration; everlasting, infinite”)

   ‎līber (“free, independent, unrestricted; open, unbiased”) + ‎-ālis → ‎līberālis (“advocating and promoting personal freedom; bountiful, generous”)

   ‎socius (“associating, sharing, partaking”) + ‎-ālis → ‎sociālis (“companionable; allied, confederate”)

Usage notes

The suffix -ālis is added (usually, but not exclusively) to a noun or numeral to form an adjective of relationship to that noun. When suffixed to an existing adjective, the effect is and to intensify the adjectival meaning, and often to narrow the semantic field. If the root word ends in -l or -lis, -āris is generally used instead. Sometimes both forms are found; e.g., līneālis and līneāris.

Declension

Third-declension two-termination adjective.

Derived terms

• -ālia

Descendants