英语词源词典,_A.pdfVIP

-ability suffix expressing ability or capacity, from L. -abilitas, forming nouns from adjs. ending in -abilis (see -able). Not etymologically related to ability, though popularly connected with it. -able suffix expressing ability, capacity, fitness, from L. -ibilis, -abilis, forming adjectives from verbs, from PIE *-tro-, a suffix used to form nouns of instrument. In L., infinitives in -are took -abilis, others -ibilis; in Eng., -able is used for native words, -ible for words of obvious L. origin. The Latin suffix is not etymologically connected with able, but it long has been popularly associated with it, and this has contributed to its survival as a living suffix. It is related to the second syllable of rudder and saddle. -acea suffix denoting orders and classes in zoology, from L. -acea, neut. pl. of -aceus belonging to, of the nature of (enlarged from adj. suffix -ax, gen. -acis); neut. pl. because of a presumed animalia, a neuter plural noun. Thus, crustacea shellfish are *crustacea animalia crusty animals. In botany, the suffix is -aceae, from the fem. pl. of -aceus, with reference to L. plantae, which is a fem. plural. -ad suffix denoting collective numerals (cf. Olympiad), from Gk. -as (gen. -ados), a suffix forming fem. nouns; also used in fem. patronymics (Dryad, Naiad, also, in plural, Pleiades, Hyades). -ado in commando, desperado, tornado,, and other words of Sp. and Port. origin, person or group participating in an action, from L. -atus, pp. suffix of verbs of the first conjugation (cf. -ade). -age suffix forming nouns of act, process, function, condition, from O.Fr./Fr. -age, from L.L. -aticum belonging to, related to, originally neut. adj. suff