Where does “-ain” come from?
-ain (French) comes from Middle French -ain, from Latin -āneus, from Latin -eus, from Proto-Italic *-eos.
-ain (French): Suffix used to form demonyms, both nouns and...
Definitions
- Suffix used to form demonyms, both nouns and...
Ancestry of “-ain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | -ain | — |
| 2 | Latin | -āneus | — |
| 3 | Latin | -eus | argentum + API → argenteus; ferrum + API →... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | *-eos | — |
Words derived from “-ain”