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• ary
  ary

  adjective

  any; anyone.
• -ary
  -ary

  a suffix occurring originally in loanwords from Classical and Medieval Latin, on adjectives (elementary; honorary; stationary; tributary ), personal nouns (actuary; notary; secretary ), or nouns denoting objects, especially receptacles or places (library; rosary; glossary ). The suffix has the general sense “pertaining to, connected with” the referent named by the base; it is productive in English, sometimes with the additional senses “contributing to,” “for the purpose of,” and usually forming adjectives.

ary

¹ American  

[air-ee] / ˈɛər i /

adjective

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

1. any; anyone.

2. none, not any; nary.

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-ary ² American  

1. a suffix occurring originally in loanwords from Classical and Medieval Latin, on adjectives (elementary; honorary; stationary; tributary ), personal nouns (actuary; notary; secretary ), or nouns denoting objects, especially receptacles or places (library; rosary; glossary ). The suffix has the general sense “pertaining to, connected with” the referent named by the base; it is productive in English, sometimes with the additional senses “contributing to,” “for the purpose of,” and usually forming adjectives.

   complimentary; visionary; revolutionary; inflationary.

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-ary British  

suffix

1. (forming adjectives) of; related to; belonging to

   cautionary

   rudimentary

2. (forming nouns)

   1. a person connected with or engaged in

      missionary

   2. a thing relating to; a place for

      commentary

      aviary

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Usage

What does -ary mean? The combining form -ary is a suffix with a variety of meanings. In some words, it is used to denote an object, particularly a receptacle or place. In some other terms, it is used to mean "pertaining to; connected with." Additionally, in some English terms it means "contributing to" or "for the purpose of." It is often used in everyday and technical terms. The form -ary comes from the Latin -ārius and -ārium, meaning “thing connected with or employed in, place for." By way of French, English has inherited numerous suffixes with similar meanings to that of -ary, including -aire, as in millionaire; -eer, as in engineer; -er, as in archer; or -ier, as in financier. Check out all four entries to learn more.

Etymology

Origin of ary¹

First recorded in 1810–20; alteration of e'er a ever a, in sense “any”

Origin of -ary²

Middle English -arie, from Latin -ārius, -a, -um; English personal nouns reflect -ārius, while objects and places reflect -ārium or -āria. Inherited and adopted French forms of this suffix are -er ², -eer, -ier ², -aire; -er ¹

Example Sentences

The government did not say how many Germany had requested to buy, but the VSB spokesman said the ary had said it would be possible to dispense with a limited number of tanks.

From Reuters • Mar. 3, 2023

Conrad did eventually find his liter ary place, but never the financial security to which he aspired.

From Time Magazine Archive

Thornton is a dreamer and a vision ary who talks constantly about the way-out future, yet he is also an intensely practical man who has made realities out of many of his early dreams.

From Time Magazine Archive

When they leave, Van Dyke says: "The next time we're invited to a liter ary dinner party, will you say to me, 'Let's stay home and can some plums'?"

From Time Magazine Archive

“Yes, there is. I want ye to bring me ary newspaper ye kin lay yore hands on.”

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt