suffix
Meaning 1
plural of -um
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, morpheme, plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
-a
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɑ/
-
General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ə/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
homophone: -er
-
homophone: -or (in non-rhotic accents)
-
General-American, Received-Pronunciation: ə
-
General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /eɪ/
suffix
Meaning 2
plural of -on
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, morpheme, plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 3
Marks singular nouns, with a foundation in Greek or Latin, often implying femininity, especially when contrasted with words terminating in -us.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 4
Changes an element or substance into an oxide.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- magnesium + -a → magnesia
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 5
Marks nouns, with a foundation in Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese, implying femininity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
Examples
- donna
- signora
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 6
Added for metrical reasons to songs, poetry and verse, or as an empty filler syllable to other speech.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: morpheme
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 7
Alternative form of 've.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, morpheme, slang
Examples
- who'da thunk it?
- shoulda
- coulda
- woulda
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 8
Clitic form of o' (contraction of of).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: clitic, form-of, morpheme, slang
Examples
- buncha, cuppa, kinda, loadsa, lotta, sorta
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 9
to (infinitive marker)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, morpheme
Examples
- oughta
- wanna
- gotta
- gonna
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 10
do (infinitive marker)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, morpheme
Examples
- whatta
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 11
Pronunciation spelling of -er (the agent noun suffix).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, alt-of, morpheme, pronunciation-spelling
Qualifier: African-American Vernacular; non-rhotic; African-American Vernacular; non-rhotic
Examples
- busta, hustla, killa, stunna, sucka
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
suffix
Meaning 12
Pronunciation spelling of -er (the colloquial clipping suffix).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, New-Zealand, UK, alt-of, morpheme, pronunciation-spelling
Qualifier: non-rhotic
Examples
- Macca, rugga
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin -a (nominative second declension neuter plural suffix), plural counterpart to -um (nominative second declension neuter singular suffix).
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek -α (-a, nominative second declension neuter plural suffix), plural counterpart to -ον (-on, nominative second declension neuter singular suffix).
Learned borrowing from Latin -a (nominative first declension neuter singular suffix)
Borrowed from Italian -a, Spanish -a and Portuguese -a, all feminine noun suffixes from Latin -a.
Added especially for metrical reasons, or as an empty filler syllable.
Contraction of have.
Contraction of of.
Contraction of to.
Contraction of do.
A pronunciation spelling of -er, representing the unstressed schwa /ə/ in non-rhotic dialects.