Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
-z-. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-z-, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-z- in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-z- you have here. The definition of the word
-z- will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
-z-, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Albanian
Interfix
-z-
- a consonant that sometimes appears as a ligature between the elements of a compound word
- dorëzoj = dorë + -z- + -oj
Derived terms
Category Albanian terms interfixed with -z- not found
Portuguese
Pronunciation
Interfix
-z-
- used when an entire word, rather than the word's stem, is connected to a suffix that begins with a vowel
- jacaré + -z- + -inho → jacarezinho
- coração + -z- + -inho → coraçãozinho
- dendê + -z- + -eiro → dendezeiro
Usage notes
Situations where the whole word, rather than the stem, is suffixed include:
- words ending in a stressed vowel: jacaré → jacarezinho; só → sozinho; baú → bauzinho
- words ending in a nasal vowel or diphthong: coração → coraçãozinho; mãe → mãezona; romã → romãzeira; um → unzão. However, these are often handled differently:
- especially in more formal words, and especially those containing the suffix -ção, the interfix -n- is used instead, and an etymological stem is used: canção → cancioneiro, mão → manusca
- especially in words inherited from Old Portuguese, the word is denasalised and the etymological vowel is used: bênção → abençoar; capão → capoeira
- rarely, the consonant of the diphthong is lost: mãe → mãinha
- words ending in r or l usually take this interfix, but occasionally the suffix is attached to the word directly: par → parzinho, mel → melzinho but mar → marola, sal → saleiro
- words ending in a diphthong: pau → pauzinho. Sometimes an etymological stem is used: pau → palito
- words ending in a hiatus (usually): incêndio → incendiozinho.
- very rarely, words ending in an unstressed, oral vowel: casa → casazinha
Derived terms