-ine
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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.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Compare -in1.
Origin of -ine
1<Latin -īnus, -inus<Greek -inos
Other definitions 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
2<French <Latin -ina, originally feminine of -inus; also representing Greek -inē, feminine noun suffix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use -ine in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for -ine (1 of 3)
Ine
/ (ˈɪnə, ˈɪnɪ) /
noun
died after 726, king of Wessex (688–726)
British Dictionary definitions for -ine (2 of 3)
-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 (3 of 3)
-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
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