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forms neuter nouns of the third declension, generally with senses along the lines of 'a means of doing something'
Usage notes
Nouns ending in the suffix -men are often derived from verbs. Derivatives of first-conjugation verbs end in -āmen and derivatives of fourth-conjugation verbs end in -īmen (examples: lībrāmen from lībrā-, the present stem of lībrō(“I balance, poise”); mūnīmen(“defense, fortification”) from mūnī-, the present stem of mūniō(“I fortify”)). Derivatives of second- and third-conjugation verbs show more complicated formations depending on the stem involved. Derivatives of nouns or adjectives show some variation: some end in -āmen (such as linteāmen, oleāmen, pinguāmen from linteum, oleum, pinguis) while others end in -ūmen (such as albūmen, caldūmen from albus, caldus).
Compare the related suffix -mentum; for some nouns ending in -men, there is a corresponding noun ending in -mentum with a similar meaning, such as vēlāmen(“covering”) and vēlāmentum(“covering”).