Where does “-ain” come from?

-ain (Middle French) comes from Latin -āneus, from Latin -eus, from Proto-Italic *-eos — Forms adjectives indicating being formed out of a material.

-ain (Middle French): an (suffix forming adjectives from nouns)

Definitions

  1. an (suffix forming adjectives from nouns)

Ancestry of “-ain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latin-āneusforming adjectives Of or pertaining to; -aneous
2Latin-eusargentum + API → argenteus; ferrum + API →...
3Proto-Italic*-eosForms adjectives indicating being formed out of a material

Words derived from “-ain

Every word from Proto-Italic *-eosEvery word from Latin -eusEvery word from Latin -āneus