-ine

a suffix of adjectives of Greek or Latin origin, meaning “of or pertaining to,” “of the nature of,” “made of,” “like”: asinine; crystalline; equine; marine.

Words nearby -ine

-ility, -im, -in, -ina, -inae, -ine, -ing, -ion, -ior, -ious, -isation

Compare -in¹.

Origin of -ine

< Latin -īnus, -inus < Greek -inos

Definition for -ine (2 of 2)

-ine²

a suffix, of no assignable meaning, appearing in nouns of Greek, Latin, or French origin: doctrine; famine; routine.

a noun suffix used particularly in chemical terms (bromine; chlorine), and especially in names of basic substances (amine; aniline; caffeine; quinine; quinoline).Compare -in².

a suffix of feminine nouns (heroine), given names (Clementine), and titles (landgravine).

Compare -ina¹.

Origin of -ine

< French < Latin -ina, orig. feminine of -inus; also representing Greek -inē, feminine noun suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for -ine (1 of 2)

-ine¹

suffix forming adjectives

of, relating to, or belonging tosaturnine

consisting of or resemblingcrystalline

Word Origin for -ine

from Latin -īnus, from Greek -inos

British Dictionary definitions for -ine (2 of 2)

-ine²

suffix forming nouns

indicating a halogenchlorine

indicating a nitrogenous organic compound, including amino acids, alkaloids, and certain other basesalanine; nicotine; purine

Also: -in indicating a chemical substance in certain nonsystematic namesglycerine

indicating a mixture of hydrocarbonsbenzine

indicating a feminine formheroine

an obsolete equivalent of -yne

Word Origin for -ine

via French from Latin -ina (from -inus) and Greek -inē

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for -ine

-ine

suff.

or -in A chemical substance:bromine, amine, quinine.

Amino acid:glycine.