Dictionary

-le en · X · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /l̩/
• /əl/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *-lōną Old English -lian Middle English -len English -le From Middle English -len, -elen, from Old English -lian (frequentative verbal suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-lōn, from Proto-Germanic *-lōną (frequentative verbal suffix). Cognate with West Frisian -elje, Dutch -elen, German -eln, Danish -le, Norwegian Bokmål -le, Norwegian Nynorsk -la, Swedish -la, Icelandic -la. Compare -er.

Meanings

1. (morpheme) A frequentative suffix of verbs, indicating repetition or continuousness
   • assle, buzzle, crackle, cuddle, dazzle, draggle, drawl, dribble, drizzle, fumble, gamble, grapple, handle, jostle, kissle, maddle, mingle, nestle, nuzzle, prattle, quibble, ramble, rattle, ripple, scribble, sile, sizzle, sniffle, snuggle, startle, stopple, suckle, tattle, tickle, topple, waggle, whemmle, wiggle, wrestle

Forms

Translations (7)

pl -wać (frequentative suffix) · pt -ejar (frequentative suffix) · fi -ella (frequentative suffix) · fi -skella (frequentative suffix) · sv -la (frequentative suffix) · gl -exar (frequentative suffix) · es -ear (frequentative suffix)

-le en · X · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /l̩/
• /əl/

Etymology

From Middle English -el, -le (adjectival), from Old English -el, -ol, from Proto-Germanic *-ulaz and *-ilaz (adjective suffixes). Cognate with West Frisian -el, Dutch -el, Low German -el, German -el, Icelandic -ill.

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Forming adjectives from verbs with the meaning of "prone to", "tending to", "apt to", "capable of"; compare -ative
   • battle, breakle, brittle, fickle, forgettle, little, newfangle, nimble, wankle

Forms

-le en · X · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /l̩/
• /əl/

Etymology

From Middle English -el (agent suffix), from a combination of two suffixes: * Old English -el, -il (diminutive suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (diminutive suffix). * Old English -el, -ol, -ul (agent suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (agent suffix). Cognate with West Frisian -el, Dutch -el, Low German -el, German -el.

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Forming diminutives from other nouns.
   • dump + -le → dimple
   • nose + -le → nozzle
   • dung + -le → dingle
   • hose + -le → hosel
   • hatch + -le → hatchel
   • new + -le → newel
   • gome + -le → gomeral
   • puck + -le → puckle
   • turd + -le → treddle
   • corn + -le → kernel
   • howf + -le → hovel
2. (morpheme) Forming agent nouns from verbs
   • beadle, beetle, bridle, bundle, cripple, fettle, girdle, ladle, losel, runnel, shovel, spindle, spittle, steeple, stile, stopple, thimble, tool, towel, trundle

Forms

Deriveds

Terms unsorted by etymology: · piffle · dottle

Synonyms

micro- · -et · -ee · mini- · -ette · -ule · -ling · -let · -kin · -ie · -icle · nano- · -el · -y · -ole · -cule