-iccio

Italian

Etymology

Inherited from Latin -īcius. Doublet of -izio, which was borrowed.

Suffix

-iccio (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -iccia, masculine plural -icci, feminine plural -icce)
-iccio m (noun-forming suffix, plural -icci)

1. a slightly diminutive-pejorative suffix used to form adjectives and nouns, denoting approximation

   ‎malato (“sick”) + ‎-iccio → ‎malaticcio (“sickly”)

   ‎bruno (“brown”) + ‎-iccio → ‎bruniccio (“dull brown”)

2. (no longer productive, rare) forms relational adjectives

   ‎massa + ‎-iccio → ‎massiccio (“massive, solid”)

   ‎fatto + ‎-iccio → ‎fatticcio (“big, strong, robust (rare)”)

3. attaches to past participles to form adjectives meaning “-able”, “prone to”, “characterized by”, or similar; sometimes forms nouns

   ‎appiccato + ‎-iccio → ‎appiccaticcio

   ‎levato + ‎-iccio → ‎levaticcio

Derived terms

Italian terms suffixed with -iccio