Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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    From -κός (-kós) from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ḱos, with an added ι from i-stems such as φυσι-κός (phusi-kós, natural), through the same process by which -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs) developed from -της (-tēs), occurring in some original case and later used freely. Cognate with Latin -icus and Proto-Germanic *-igaz, whence Old English -iġ (English -y), Old High German -ig, Gothic -𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍃 (-eigs).

    Pronunciation

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    Suffix

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    -ῐκός (-ikósm (feminine -ῐκή, neuter -ῐκόν); first/second declension

    1. Added to noun stems to form adjectives: of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic

    Inflection

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    Derived terms

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    References

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    • Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920) “Part III: Formation of Words”, in A Greek grammar for colleges, Cambridge: American Book Company, § 858

    Greek

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    Etymology

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    When denoting origin/properties/collective nouns, inherited from Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós). Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) under the semantic influence of Latin -icus when used for forming science/art-denoting nouns.

    Pronunciation

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    Suffix

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    -ικός (-ikós), -ική, -ικό or -ικός, -ική/ικιά, -ικό

    1. adjective-forming suffix denoting origin from a country/region/national group:
      Γαλλία (Gallía, France) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎γαλλικός (gallikós, French) (adjective)
      Κούρδος (Koúrdos, Kurd) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎κουρδικός (kourdikós, Kurdish) (adjective)
    2. adjective-forming suffix denoting relation or a specific member of a collective noun:
      λαός (laós, people, polulace) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎λαϊκός (laïkós, popular, folk) (adjective)
    3. adjective-forming suffix denoting a characteristic of an abstract noun:
      δημοκρατία (dimokratía, democracy) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎δημοκρατικός (dimokratikós, democratic) (adjective)
    4. adjective-forming suffix denoting the ability to perform the action of the root verb:
      δημιουργώ (dimiourgó, create) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎δημιουργικός (dimiourgikós, creative) (adjective)
    5. (as f. s. -ική) abstract noun-forming suffix denoting the art/science of the root noun: (formal)
      γλύπτης (glýptis, sculptor) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎γλυπτική (glyptikí, sculpture (art)) (noun)
      οδοντίατρος (odontíatros, dentist) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎οδοντιατρική (odontiatrikí, dentistry (science)) (noun)
    6. (as n. pl. -ικά) abstract noun-forming suffix for languages:
      Γαλλία (Gallía, France) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎γαλλικά (galliká, French language) (noun)
    7. (as n. pl. -ικά) collective noun-forming suffix for classes of objects:
      γυαλί (gyalí, glass) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎γυαλικά (gyaliká, glassware) (noun)
      λάχανο (láchano, cabbage) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎λαχανικά (lachaniká, vegetables (collective)) (noun)
    8. (as n. pl. -ικά) collective noun-forming suffix for classes of ailments:
      έντερο (éntero, intestine) + ‎-ικός (-ikós) → ‎εντερικά (enteriká, ailments of the intestine) (noun)

    Declension

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