Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-ise” come from?

-ise (English) comes from Middle English -ise, from Old French -ise, from Latin -itia, from Latin -ia, from Latin -ius, from Proto-Italic -jōs, from Proto-Indo-European -yós — Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems.

-ise (English): Alternative form of -ize; Suffix used in...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of -ize; Suffix used in...

Ancestry of “-ise”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-iseAlternative form of -yssh
2Old French-iseused to form feminine nouns, often denoting a...
3Latin-itia-ness, -ity
4Latin-iaUsed to form a feminine abstract noun, usually...
5Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
6Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
7Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems

Words derived from “-ise”

  • standardization
  • characterise
  • apologise
  • privatisation
  • standardize
  • civilize
  • patronising
  • visualise
  • marginalisation
  • ionisation
  • generalise
  • materialise
  • patronise
  • categorise
  • familiarise
  • internalisation
  • magnetisation
  • personalisation
  • equalise
  • socialise
  • revolutionise
  • publicise
  • internalise
  • fertilise
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →