-lich

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See also: lich, Lich, and lịch

German

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Adjective: From Middle High German -lich, -līch, from Old High German -līh, from Proto-West Germanic *-līk. Cognate with English -ly and Dutch -lijk.[1]

Adverb: From Middle High German -līche, from Old High German -līhho.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /lɪç/
  • Audio:(file)

Suffix

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-lich

  1. Used to form adjectives from verbs, to express that "something can be done with the person or thing described".
    verstehen (to understand) + ‎-lich → ‎verständlich (that can be understood, understandable)
  2. Used to form adjectives from verbs, to express that "that the person or thing described does something".
    sterben (to die) + ‎-lich → ‎sterblich (that dies, mortal)
  3. Used to form adjectives from nouns, to indicate "affiliation".
    Abenteuer (adventure) + ‎-lich → ‎abenteuerlich (associated with adventure, adventurous)
  4. Used to form adjectives from nouns (times), to indicate "repetition".
    Jahr (year) + ‎-lich → ‎jährlich (repeated every year, annually)
  5. Used to form adjectives from adjectives, to express "a weakening or differentiation".
    rot (red) + ‎-lich → ‎rötlich (having a somewhat red coloring, reddish)
  6. Used to form adverbs from adjectives.
    bekannt (bekannt) + ‎-lich → ‎bekanntlich (publicly, as it is known)

Derived terms

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Friedrich Kluge (1989) “-lich”, in Elmar Seebold, editor, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the German Language] (in German), 22nd edition, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN

Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Suffix

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-lich

  1. Alternative form of -ly (adjectival suffix)

Etymology 2

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Suffix

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-lich

  1. Alternative form of -ly (adverbial suffix)