-izio

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin -icius, -īcius. Depending on the source, doublet of -eccio or -iccio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈit.t͡sjo/
• Rhymes: -ittsjo
• Hyphenation: -ì‧zio

Suffix

-izio (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -izia, masculine plural -izi, feminine plural -izie)

1. used to form relational adjectives from nouns

Usage notes

• The suffix is attached directly to the root of a noun to form an adjective denoting derivation:

Examples:

cardinal(e) (“cardinal”) → cardinalizio (“of or pertaining to a cardinal”)

credit(o) (“credit”) → creditizio (“credit (relational)”)

prefett(o) (“prefect”) → prefettizio (“of or pertaining to a prefect”)

• Many instances of the suffix are found in words of Latin origin:

• In some cases, the root exhibits fossilised characteristics lost in the correspondent modern Italian root noun:

Example:

nuovo (“new”) → novizio (“new”, “unaccustomed”) (cfr. Latin novīcius, from novus)

• In a few cases, the adjective has no correspondent root noun in modern Italian:

Example:

laterizio (“pertaining to brickwork”) (cfr. Latin laterīcius, from later (“brick”), which has no descendants in Italian)

• Terms derived with this suffix are invariably stressed on the penultimate.

Derived terms

Italian terms suffixed with -izio