-ian

See also: ian, Ian, ían, iän, -ían, -յան, and Ian.

English

Alternative forms

• -an, -n

Etymology

From Latin -ānus, which forms adjectives of belonging or origin from a noun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iːən/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Suffix

-ian

1. (as an adjective) From, related to, or like.
2. (as a noun) One from, belonging to, relating to, or like.
3. (as a noun) Having a certain profession.

Usage notes

• When males with a profession are distinguished from females, males are -ian, females -ienne.

Derived terms

related to

• Arthurian
• Hermitian
• Lipschitzian

• Newtonian
• utopian

belonging to

• physician
• politician

• magician

having a profession

• comedian (compare comedienne)

Related terms

• -ienne

Translations

related to

• Dutch: -isch (nl)
• French: -ien (fr)
• Galician: -ian m

• German: -isch (de)
• Italian: -iano m, -iana f
• Spanish: -iano m, -iana f

belonging to

• French: -ien (fr)

• Italian: -iano

having a profession

• Dutch: -iant

• French: -ien (fr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Latin: ^{(please verify)} -ianus

Anagrams

• ANI, Ain, Ani, Ina, NIA, Nia, ain', ani, ina, nai

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Old English

Etymology

By syncope from earlier *-ōjan, a northern Ingvaeonic innovated form of Proto-Germanic *-ōną.

Suffix

-ian

1. Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives.

Inflection

Conjugation of -ian (weak class 2)

infinitive	-ian	tō -ienne
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	-ie -iġe	-ode
2nd-person singular	-ast	-odest
3rd-person singular	-aþ	-ode
plural	-iaþ -iġaþ	-odon
subjunctive	present	past
singular	-ie -iġe	-ode
plural	-ien -iġen	-oden
imperative
singular	-a
plural	-iaþ -iġaþ
participle	present	past
	-iende -iġende	(ġe)-od

Derived terms

► Old English words suffixed with -ian

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Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-ijaną.

Suffix

-ian

1. used to form the infinitive of class 1 weak verbs (as well as a few strong verbs also ending in -ian like biddian or liggian, and class 3 weak verbs)

   wekkian "to awake" (class 1 weak verbs)

   seggian "to say" (class 3 weak verbs)