-ic

English

Alternative forms

• -ick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English -ik, from Old French -ique, from Latin -icus, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ḱos, formed with the i-stem suffix *-i- and the adjectival suffix *-kos, *-ḱos. Compare Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós), Sanskrit -इक (-ika) and Old Church Slavonic -ъкъ (-ŭkŭ). Doublet of -ac and -y.

PIE *-kos on noun stems carried the meaning 'characteristic of, like, typical, pertaining to', and on adjectival stems it acted emphatically.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Suffix

-ic

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns with the meaning “of or pertaining to”.

   Cyrillic

   acidic

2. (chemistry) Used to denote certain chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a higher oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -ous. For example sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than sulphurous acid (H₂SO₃).

Usage notes

The suffix -ic is often added to words of Greek or Latin origin, but may also be used with other words, and in some cases is even added (redundantly) to adjectives, as in veganic (from vegan).

Derived terms

Related terms

• -adic
• -ical
• -ician
• -ics

Translations

See also

Anagrams

• -ci-, C&I, CI, cI, ci

Catalan

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin -icus.

Suffix

-ic (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -ica, masculine plural -ics, feminine plural -iques)

1. -ic (of or pertaining to)

Suffix

-ic m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ics)

1. (chemistry) -ic

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin -iccus.

Suffix

-ic m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ics)

1. forms diminutive nouns

Derived terms

Middle English

Suffix

-ic

1. Alternative form of -ik

Romanian

Etymology

From Latin -icus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ik/

Suffix

-ic m or n (feminine singular -ică, masculine plural -ici, feminine and neuter plural -ice)

1. Forms adjectives with the meaning "of or pertaining to".

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

• -ec
• -atic/-atec