-ain

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ain"

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle French -ain, from Old French -ain, from Latin -ānus, whence also French -an and -ien.

Suffix

-ain m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ains, feminine -aine)

1. suffix used to form noun (uppercase) demonyms

   ‎Jamaïque + ‎-ain → ‎Jamaïcain

   ‎Mexique + ‎-ain → ‎Mexicain

2. suffix used to form adjective (lowercase) demonyms

   ‎Jamaïque + ‎-ain → ‎jamaïcain

   ‎Mexique + ‎-ain → ‎mexicain

3. indicates the old oblique case (cas régime) of certain nouns

   ‎pute + ‎-ain → ‎putain

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -ain

africain

Africain

alaskain

Alaskain

Albertain

albertain

Américain

armoricain

Beaufortain

Cagliaritain

cagliaritain

chartrain

châtelain

clubain

Costaricain

costaricain

Cubain

élisabéthain

hautain

jamaïcain

Jamaïcain

Manitobain

manitobain

marocain

Marocain

Mexicain

mexicain

montpelliérain

naissain

Porto-Ricain

porto-ricain

quatorzain

quatrain

riverain

Roumain

septain

Sud-Africain

tibétain

Tibétain

toulousain

transmontain

Related terms

• -an
• -en
• -ien

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle French -ain, from Latin -āneus, whence also French -ané.

Suffix

-ain (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -aine, masculine plural -ains, feminine plural -aines)

1. -aneous

   contemporain ― contemporaneous

Middle French

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin -ānus

Old French -ain

Middle French -ain

From Old French -ain, from Latin -ānus.

Suffix

-ain

1. -an (suffix forming adjectives from nouns)

Derived terms

Middle French terms suffixed with -ain (-an)

Tusculain

tusculain

Descendants

• French: -ain

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin -ānus

Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin -āneus

Middle French -ain

From Latin -āneus, whence also -ané.

Suffix

-ain m (feminine singular -aine, masculine plural -ains, feminine plural -aines)

1. -aneous

   contemporain ― contemporaneous

   mediterrain ― mediterraneous

Derived terms

Middle French terms suffixed with -ain (-aneous)

mediterrain

miterrain

Descendants

• French: -ain

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -ānus.

Suffix

-ain

1. Forms the oblique case, especially for feminine nouns.

   ‎pute + ‎-ain → ‎putain

   ‎none + ‎-ain → ‎nonain

2. Forms adjectives from nouns.

   ‎castel + ‎-ain → ‎castelain

Descendants

• Middle French: -ain
  • French: -ain