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Origin and history of -ar

-ar

word-formation element meaning "pertaining to, of the nature of," from Latin -arem, -aris "of the kind of, belonging to," a secondary form (by dissimilation) of -alis, used after syllables with an -l- (such as insularis for *insulalis, stellaris for *stellalis).

Entries linking to -ar

alveolar(adj.)

1799, "pertaining to the sockets of the teeth," from a modern medical use of Latin alveolus "socket, small hollow or cavity" (see alveolus) + -ar. Sense extended 19c. to other anatomical hollows.

appendicular(adj.)

1650s, from Latin appendicula "a little addition, small appendage," diminutive of appendix (see appendix) + -ar. In anatomy, opposed to axial.

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avuncular
"of or pertaining to an uncle," 1789, from Latin avunculus "maternal uncle," diminutive of avus (see uncle) + -ar. Used humorously for "of a pawnbroker" (uncle was slang for "pawnbroker" from c. 1600 through 19c.). Being in genteel society, we would not, of course, hint that any
muscular
1680s, "pertaining to muscles," from Latin musculus (see muscle (n.)) + -ar. Earlier in same sense was musculous (early 15c., from Latin musculosus). Meaning "brawny, strong, having well-developed muscles" is from 1736. Muscular Christianity (1857) is originally in reference to p
nuclear
1841, "of or like the nucleus of a cell," from nucleus + -ar, probably by influence of French nucléaire. General sense of "central" is from 1912. In atomic physics, "of or belonging to the nucleus of an atom," from 1914; of weapons deriving their destructive power from nuclear re
ore
.); and cognate with Low German ur "iron-containing ore," Dutch oer, Old Norse aurr "gravel"); and Old English ar "brass,...The two words were not fully assimilated till 17c.; what emerged has the regular modern form of ar but the meaning of ora...
oar
"long wooden lever for propelling a boat," Middle English or, from Old English ar, from Proto-Germanic *airo (source also...of Old Norse ar, Danish aare, Swedish åra), a word of unknown origin....
aureate
gold," from PIE root *aus- (2) "gold" (source also of Sanskrit ayah "metal," Avestan ayo, Latin aes "brass," Old English ar...
adage
collateral form of adagio, from ad "to" (see ad-) + *agi-, root of aio "I say," which is perhaps cognate with Armenian ar-ac...
demise
mid-15c., "transference of property, grant of land for life or a period of years," via Anglo-French from Old French demis, fem. past participle of desmetre "dismiss, put away" (Modern French démettre), from des- "away" (from Latin dis-) + metre "put," from Latin mittere "let go,
skeptic
also sceptic, 1580s, "member of an ancient Greek school that doubted the possibility of real knowledge," from French sceptique and directly from Latin scepticus "the sect of the Skeptics," from Greek skeptikos (plural Skeptikoi "the Skeptics, followers of Pyrrho"), noun use of ad
locomotive
1610s, "pertaining to movement," from French locomotif, from Latin loco "from a place" (ablative of locus "place;" see locus) + Late Latin motivus "moving" (see motive). From 1650s as "moving from place to place;" by 1814 as "having the power of moving by itself. The noun meaning

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