-e-

English

Etymology

The final vowel of hamster, as the initial vowel would be a homonym of -a- from rat.

Infix

-e-

1. (pharmacology) a monoclonal antibody derived from a hamster source

Related terms

• -mab is the base suffix common to all monoclonal antibodies. (See that entry for full paradigm.)

References

• USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, U.S. Pharmacopeia, 2000

Danish

Interfix

-e-

1. An interfix inserted in some compounds.

Derived terms

See also

• fuge-e

Dutch

Etymology

Originally often represented a thematic vowel or a (genitive) case ending; also sometimes added simply for ease of pronunciation. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Interfix

-e-

1. A linking vowel added in compound words.

   willekeur

   Koninginnedag

Derived terms

Related terms

• -en-
• -s-

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-dë-.

Interfix

-e-

1. The second infinitive marker.

Usage notes

• In the active, attaches to the same stem as the first infinitive (by replacing the final -a or -ä). In the passive, attaches to the strong passive stem (same as the passive conditional without the final -isiin) and does not replace the final -a or -ä.
• Always followed by a case marker: in standard Finnish, either the inessive or the instructive case (the latter for active only).

German

Interfix

-e-

1. used to link elements in some compounds

Derived terms

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Interfix

-e-

1. A suffix-initial vowel (or linking vowel) inserted interconsonantally between the word stem and the suffix, to ease pronunciation, without contributing to the meaning.

   ‎öreg (“old”) + ‎-e- + -bb → ‎öregebb (“older”)

See also

Norwegian Bokmål

Interfix

-e-

1. A morph interjected between word roots to give pronunciation a better sense of flow, but which gives no change in meaning.

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• -ar- (in older standards when the first element is strong feminine)
• -a-

Etymology

From the Old Norse genitive plural ending, -a, such as in manna mál (> mannemål). Also from the strong feminine genitive singular, -ar, whence also -ar- and -a-.

Interfix

-e-

1. Genitival interfix indicating that the former element is a characteristic of the latter.

   ‎hest (“horse”) + ‎hov (“hoof”) → ‎hestehov (“horse’s hoof”)

Usage notes

This interfix is often used in compounds where the first element is plural, as opposed to singular -s-. Example: gudetru (“polytheism, belief in gods”) and gudstru (“monotheism, belief in a god”).

Derived terms

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

Akin to German -n-/-e-, Dutch -en-/-e- and Swedish -e-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-ə-/

Interfix

-e-

1. Genitival interfix indicating that the former element is a characteristic of the latter.

   ‎Múus (“mouse”) + ‎Buk (“male animal”) → ‎Muzebuk (“male mouse”)

Derived terms

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ/

Interfix

-e-

1. Interfix used to link elements in some compounds

Usage notes

• The interfix -e- is sometimes used in compounds where the first element ends in -a:
  • This is especially productive when the word is the second element in a longer compound, e.g. högskola (“university”) → högskoleexamen (“university degree”); kolgruva (“coal mine”) → kolgruvearbetare (“coal mine worker”).
  • It is also used in shorter compounds when the first element ends in the female suffixes -inna or -erska, e.g. hjältinna (“heroïne”) → hjältinneroll (“part as a heroïne”); sköterska (“nurse”) → sköterskedräkt (“nurse’s uniform”).
  • It is also used for nouns ending in -ja or -ia, e.g. olja (“oil”) → oljeplattform (“oil rig”), historia (“history”) → historielektion (“history lesson”).
  • It is also used for some nouns ending in a consonant + /l r n/ + -a, e.g. ödla (“lizard”) → ödleart (“lizard species”); åsna (“donkey”) → åsneföl (“donkey’s foal”).
  • It is also used in some compounds of words ending in -a, e.g. ära (“honor”) → ärekränka (“defame”); hjärta (“heart”) → hjärtesorg (“grief, heartache”).
• It is also used in some compounds ending in a consonant, e.g. natt (“night”) → nattetid (“(during) nighttime”); skörd (“harvest”) → skördetröska (“combine harvester”); tjänst (“service”) → tjänsteman (“civil servant”); tid (“time”) → tideräkning (“chronology”).
• In some cases, -e- is found in more literary or archaic compounds, but not otherwise, e.g. stjärna (“star”) → stjärnevalv (“stellar vault”), cf. stjärnkikare (“astronomical telescope”)
• The interfix -e- is also more common in southern and western dialects, and thus in compounds derived from those dialects, cf. -a-, e.g. spettekaka (“skewer cake”), pilevall (“avenue of willow trees”).

Derived terms

See also

• -a-

References

• Teleman, Ulf; Hellberg, Staffan; Andersson, Erik & Holm, Lisa (1999). Svenska akademiens grammatik 2 Ord. Stockholm: Svenska akad.
• Wessén, Elias (1958). Svensk språkhistoria. 2, Ordbildningslära. 3. ed. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell