-eous

American  

1. an adjectival suffix with the meanings “composed of,” “resembling, having the nature of,” occurring in loanwords from Latin (igneous; ligneous; vitreous ); also, as a semantically neutral suffix, found on adjectives of diverse origin, sometimes with corresponding nouns ending in -ty2 (beauteous; courteous; hideous; homogeneous; plenteous; righteous ).

---

-eous British  

suffix

1. relating to or having the nature of Compare -ious

   gaseous

---

Etymology

Origin of -eous

< Latin -eus; -ous

Example Sentences

The Reverend William Whewell, an influential man, objected on etymological grounds and suggested instead an "–eous" pattern, producing Meioneous, Pleioneous, and so on.

From Literature

Stramin′eous, strawy, light like straw.

From Project Gutenberg

Self′-rev′erent; Self′-right′eous, righteous in one's own estimation: pharisaical.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Sem′i-oss′eous, partly bony; Semiō′val, having the form of an oval; Semiovip′arous, imperfectly viviparous; Semipal′mate, half-webbed, as the toes of a bird.—ns.

From Project Gutenberg

Silic′ious, Silic′eous, pertaining to, containing, or resembling silica.—n.

From Project Gutenberg