-le
1 American-
a suffix of verbs having a frequentative force.
dazzle; twinkle.
-
a suffix of adjectives formed originally on verbal stems and having the sense of “apt to”.
brittle.
-
a noun suffix having originally a diminutive meaning.
bramble.
-
a noun suffix indicating agent or instrument.
beadle; bridle; thimble.
abbreviation
abbreviation
-
limited edition.
-
law enforcement.
abbreviation
suffix
Etymology
Origin of -le
Middle English -len, Old English -lian (v.); Middle English -el, Old English -ol (adj.); Middle English -el, Old English -il (diminutive); Middle English -el, Old English -ol, -ul (agent)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The older words in -ulo change the suffix into -le, as 'uncle', 'maniple', 'tabernacle', 'conventicle', 'receptacle', 'panicle'.
From Society for Pure English Tract 4 The Pronunciation of English Words Derived from the Latin by Sargeaunt, John
The team that journeyed to Cambridge on October 23d was made up as follows: Stone, l.e.;
From Behind the line A story of college life and football by Barbour, Ralph Henry
The bidding starts at $41,360 for the entry-level LE with FWD.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
In fact, the global ranking for female LE in the U.S. is forecasted to drop to 74th in 2050.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 6, 2024
LE MANS, France — Ferrari ended a 50-year absence from the 24 Hours of Le Mans by toppling mighty Toyota in the centenary running of the most iconic sports car race in the world.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 11, 2023
The Model 3 now has almost exactly the same monthly payment as an entry-level Toyota Camry LE, when structured with similar lease terms.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 21, 2023
Such quiet tones after a day of shouts and HA LE LU DAs.
From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.