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desinence

[ des-uh-nuh ns ]
/ ˈdɛs ə nəns /
|

noun

a termination or ending, as the final line of a verse.
Grammar. a termination, ending, or suffix of a word.

Nearby words

  1. designer gene,
  2. designing,
  3. designment,
  4. desilver,
  5. desilverize,
  6. desipramine,
  7. desirable,
  8. desire,
  9. desire under the elms,
  10. desired

Origin of desinence

1590–1600; < French < Medieval Latin dēsinentia, equivalent to Latin dēsinent- (stem of dēsinēns), present participle of dēsinere to put down, leave (dē- de- + sinere to leave) + -ia -ia; see -ence
Related formsdes·i·nent, des·i·nen·tial [des-uh-nen-shuh l] /ˌdɛs əˈnɛn ʃəl/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for desinence

  • Unquestionably the incomers from Brabant and Flanders, whether as troopers or artisans, gave a great impulse to the desinence.

    Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature|Charles W. Bardsley

  • Conservation must, therefore, be the rule, and desinence the impossible exception.

    Life: Its True Genesis|R. W. Wright

British Dictionary definitions for desinence

desinence

/ (ˈdɛsɪnəns) /

noun

grammar an ending or termination, esp an inflectional ending of a word
Derived Formsdesinent or desinential (ˌdɛsɪˈnɛnʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for desinence

C16: from French désinence, from Latin dēsinēns ending, from dēsinere to leave off, from de- + sinere to leave, permit
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