-aĉ-

Esperanto

Etymology

From Italian -accio.

Suffix

-aĉ-

1. Used to denote substandard degree, lack of quality, or inferiority.

   ‎ĉevalo (“horse”) + ‎-aĉ- → ‎ĉevalaĉo (“nag”)

   ‎domo (“house”) + ‎-aĉ- → ‎domaĉo (“shack”)

   ‎skribi (“to write”) + ‎-aĉ- → ‎skribaĉi (“to scrawl”)

Usage notes

• Unlike most Esperanto suffixes, -aĉ- does not have an inherent part of speech, but rather inherits the part of speech of the stem to which it is suffixed.
• The difference between fi- and -aĉ- is similar, but not identical, to the difference between evil and bad in English. fi- always denotes low morality, while -aĉ- always denotes low quality.

Derived terms

► Esperanto words suffixed with -aĉ-

• aĉ! (“oh no!, ugh!, yuck!”)
• aĉa (“awful, horrible, rotten, terrible”)
• aĉe (“poorly, terribly”)
• aĉulo (“wretch”)