-el

See also: Appendix:Variations of "el"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əl/, /l̩/

Etymology 1

From Middle English -el, from Old English -el, from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Alternative forms

• -le, -al

Suffix

-el

1. Suffix forming nouns, originally denoting an instrument, from verbs, usually spelt -le except after n and e.

   runnel, shovel, dotel

2. Diminutive suffix in words of Germanic origin.

   hatchel, hovel, gomeral

Etymology 2

From Middle English -el, a merger of two suffixes:

• Old English -el (diminutive suffix)
• Old French -el (diminutive suffix), from Latin -ellus

Suffix

-el

1. Suffix, originally diminutive, in words of mostly Romance origin.

   cupel, chapel, tunnel

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -el

Anagrams

• -le, LE, Le, LαE, le

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Abenaki

Suffix

-el

1. Used on verbs, together with the prefix k-, to indicate that the first person singular (I) is the actor and the second person singular (you) is the object of the verb.

   n'kezalmô

   I love

   k'kezalmel

   I love you (singular)

Usage notes

The suffix is spelled -ol by some writers.

See also

• -elba

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Breton

Etymology

Cf. French -el (e.g. sexuel, individuel, industriel)

Suffix

-el

1. To make an adjective of a noun; -al

   ‎broad (“nation”) + ‎-el → ‎broadel (“national”)

Derived terms

Breton terms suffixed with -el

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Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ ɛl]

Suffix

-el

1. forms nouns

   ‎koupat + ‎-el → ‎koupel

Derived terms

Czech terms suffixed with -el

Further reading

• Template:R:Slovnik afixu

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Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /el/, [ˈɛlˀ]

Suffix

-el

1. -al

Derived terms

Danish terms suffixed with -el

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Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-ilaz. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. probably more than one etymology involved

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əl/

Suffix

-el

1. -el
2. -elle

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -el

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Esperanto

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-el

1. in [...] way

   -el is the ending for correlatives of manner or degree

Derived terms

• kiel (“in what way, in what manner, how”)
• tiel (“in that way, in that manner, thus”)
• ĉiel (“in every way, in every manner”)
• iel (“in some way, in some manner, somehow”)
• neniel (“in no way, nohow”)
• (nonce) aliel (“in another way, somehow else”)

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French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French -el, from Latin -ālis. Doublet of -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-el (feminine -elle, masculine plural -els, feminine plural -elles)

1. forms adjectives from nouns: -al

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -el

Descendants

• → German: -ell
• → Turkish: -el (learned)

See also

• -al

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German

Etymology

Direct descendant of Proto-Germanic *-ilaz or from dialectal variants of -lein, which as well ultimately go back to *-ilaz or to *-ilingaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

1. suffix in diminutives

   ‎Kind (“child”) + ‎-el → ‎Kindel (“little child, darling”)

   ‎Haus (“house”) + ‎-el → ‎Häusel (“little house”)

2. suffix in nouns indicating appurtenance

   ‎Arm (“arm”) + ‎-el → ‎Ärmel (“sleeve”)

   ‎Eiche (“oak”) + ‎-el → ‎Eichel (“acorn”)

3. suffix in agent and instrumental nouns

   Büttel, Meißel

Derived terms

German terms suffixed with -el

Further reading

• “-el” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

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Hungarian

Etymology

-e- + -l

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɛl]
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Suffix

-el

2. (personal suffix) Used to form the second-person singular present tense of verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz (indicative mood, indefinite conjugation).

   keres (“to seek”) → keresel (“you seek, you are seeking”)

4. (verb-forming suffix) Appended to a noun to form a verb.

   ebéd (“lunch”) → ebédel (“to eat lunch”)

6. (noun-forming suffix) Appended to a verb to form a noun (no longer productive in this role).

   lep (“to cover”) → lepel (“wrap”)

Usage notes

    Present tense indefinite – personal suffixes

Person		Back     vowel	Front vowel
			unrounded	rounded
én	1st person singular	-ok	-ek	-ök
	-ik verbs (optional)	-om	-em	-öm
te	2nd person singular	-sz
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-asz	-esz
	after s, sz, z, dz	-ol	-el	-öl
ő maga ön	3rd person singular	–
	-ik verbs	-ik
mi	1st person plural	-unk	-ünk
ti	2nd person plural	-tok	-tek	-tök
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-otok	-etek	-ötök
ők maguk önök	3rd person plural	-nak	-nek
	after two consonants or a long vowel + t	-anak	-enek
See also: present-tense definite-object suffixes and second-person-object suffixes for informal addressing.

• (personal suffix) Variants:

  -sz added to verbs not in the categories listed below

  ‎vár (“to wait”) + ‎-sz → ‎vársz (“you wait, you are waiting”)

  -asz added to back-vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít

  ‎hall (“to hear”) + ‎-asz → ‎hallasz (“you hear, you are hearing”)

  ‎tanít (“to teach”) + ‎-asz → ‎tanítasz (“you teach, you are teaching”)

  -esz added to front-vowel verbs ending in two consonants or -ít

  ‎dönt (“to decide”) + ‎-esz → ‎döntesz (“you decide, you are deciding”)

  ‎segít (“to help”) + ‎-esz → ‎segítesz (“you help, you are helping”)

  -ol added to back-vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  ‎olvas (“to read”) + ‎-ol → ‎olvasol (“you read, you are reading”)

  -el added to unrounded front-vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  ‎vesz (“to buy”) + ‎-el → ‎veszel (“you buy, you are buying”)

  -öl added to rounded front-vowel verbs ending in s, sz, z, dz

  ‎főz (“to cook”) + ‎-öl → ‎főzöl (“you cook, you are cooking”)

• (verb-forming suffix) Variants:

  -l is added to words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-. Final long vowels may shorten, e.g. ű → ü.

  -ol is added to some back-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -al is added to other back-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -el is added to unrounded (and some rounded) front-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -öl is added to most rounded front-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -ál is added to some back-vowel words ending in a consonant

Note: Certain words take another, synonymous suffix, -z/-oz/-az/-ez/-öz/-áz or -zik/-ozik/-azik/-ezik/-özik.

• (noun-forming suffix) Harmonic variants:

  -al is added to back-vowel words

  -el is added to front-vowel words

Derived terms

Hungarian verbs suffixed with -el

Hungarian nouns suffixed with -el

See also

• Category:Hungarian verb forms
• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

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Low German

Etymology 1

From Middle Low German -el, from Old Saxon -il, from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Suffix

-el m

1. Suffix forming nouns originally denoting an agent from verbs.

   Lepel, Snavel, Stickel

Etymology 2

From Middle Low German -ling. Result of resegmentation of nouns with -el and -ing suffixes. See the English suffix -ling. Akin to English, Dutch and German -ling.

Suffix

-el m

1. A suffix that describes a male person (or other creature) in terms of a place of origin or a quality, as defined by the root to which it is added. Now often replaced by a compound with Jung for a male person, and Deern for a female person such as Lehrjung, Lehrdeern (male/female pupil).

Derived terms

• Bückel
• Stickel

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Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English -el, -ol, from Proto-West Germanic *-ul, from Proto-Germanic *-ulaz.

Alternative forms

• -le

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-əl/

Suffix

-el

1. Forms adjectives meaning "tending to" or "able to" from verbs.

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -el (adjectival)

Descendants

• English: -le
• Scots: -le

References

• “-el, suf.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

From Old English -el, -ol, from Proto-West Germanic *-il, from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Alternative forms

• -ell, -il, -ill, -le, -ul, -yl, -yll, -ylle

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-əl/

Suffix

-el

1. Forms diminutives from verbs or other nouns.
2. Forms agent nouns from verbs or other nouns.

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -el (agentive)

Descendants

• English: -le, -el
• Scots: -le, -el

References

• “-el, suf.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 3

From Old French -el, -ele, from Latin -ālis and -ellus, -ella.

Alternative forms

• -ele, -ell, -elle, -eylle, -le, -yll, -ylle

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-ˈɛːl(ə)/, /-ɛl(ə)/

Suffix

-el

1. Forms diminutives from verbs or other nouns.

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -el (diminutive)

Descendants

• English: -el, -le

Etymology 4

Suffix

-el

1. Alternative form of -al

Etymology 5

Suffix

-el

1. Alternative form of -elen

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Norman

Etymology

From Old French -el, from Latin -ālis.

Suffix

-el

1. makes an adjectival form of a noun; -al

Derived terms

Norman terms suffixed with -el

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Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /el/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *-a-l-.

Suffix

-el

1. Alternative form of -ol

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-ilaz.

Alternative forms

• -il

Suffix

-el

1. (causes i-mutation) agent and instrumental suffix creating nouns from verbs

   ‎crēopan (“to creep”) + ‎-el → ‎crypel (“cripple”)

   ‎bēodan (“to command”) + ‎-el → ‎bydel (“herald, messenger”)

   ‎spittan (“to dig”) + ‎-el → ‎spitel (“shovel”)

   ‎hladan (“to lade”) + ‎-el → ‎hlædel (“ladle”)

   ‎þrēapian (“to reprove, reprehend”) + ‎-el → ‎þrīpel (“instrument of punishment, cross”)

Declension

Declension of -el

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-el	-elas, -las
accusative	-el	-elas, -las
genitive	-eles, -les	-ela, -la
dative	-ele, -le	-elum, -lum

Descendants

• Middle English: -el
  • English: -le, -el
  • Scots: -le, -el

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Old French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛl/

Etymology

From Latin -ālis.

Suffix

-el

1. used to form an adjective.

Descendants

• French: -el

Etymology

From Latin -ellus.

Suffix

-el

1. used to form a diminutive.

Descendants

• French: -eau
• → Middle English: -el, -ele, -ell, -elle, -eylle, -le, -yll, -ylle
  • English: -el, -le

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Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Syllabification: el

Suffix

-el m

1. Forms masculine agent nouns.

   ‎śmierdzieć + ‎-el → ‎śmierdziel

Declension

Masculine personal:

Declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele / -elowie
genitive	-ela	-eli / -elów
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-ela	-eli / -elów
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele / -elowie

Masculine animate:

Declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele
genitive	-ela	-eli
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-ela	-ele
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele

Masculine inanimate:

Declension of -el

	singular	plural
nominative	-el	-ele
genitive	-elu	-eli
dative	-elowi	-elom
accusative	-el	-ele
instrumental	-elem	-elami
locative	-elu	-elach
vocative	-elu	-ele

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -el

Further reading

• -el in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• -el in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Romani

Suffix

-el

1. Forms the third-person singular present indicative of consonantal oikoclitic verbs

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Romanian

Etymology

From Latin -ellus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /el/

Suffix

-el m (plural -ei, feminine -ea, feminine plural -ele)

1. used to form a masculine diminutive of a word (e.g. ‎băiat (“boy”) + ‎-el → ‎băiețel (“little boy”)

Declension

Declension of -el

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) -el	-elul	(niște) -ei	-eii
genitive/dative	(unui) -el	-elului	(unor) -ei	-eilor
vocative	-elule		-eilor

Synonyms

• -uș, -aș, -uț, -șor

Derived terms

Romanian terms suffixed with -el

Related terms

• -ea

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Turkish

Alternative forms

• -al (after vowels a, ı, o, u)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from French -el .

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

Suffix

-el

1. Forms adjectives from nouns and verbs

   özel (“private, special”) from öz (“self”)

Derived terms

Turkish terms suffixed with -el

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Volapük

Suffix

-el

1. Used to indicate a maker of a certain thing.

Derived terms

Volapük terms suffixed with -el