-ium

1. a suffix found on nouns borrowed from Latin, especially derivatives of verbs ( odium; tedium; colloquium; delirium ), deverbal compounds with the initial element denoting the object of the verb ( nasturtium ), other types of compounds ( equilibrium; millennium ), and derivatives of personal nouns, often denoting the associated status or office ( collegium; consortium; magisterium ); -ium also occurs in scientific coinages on a Latin model, as in names of metallic elements ( barium; titanium ) and as a Latinization of Gk -ion ( pericardium ).

-ium

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating a metallic element

   platinum

   barium

2. (in chemistry) indicating groups forming positive ions

   hydroxonium ion

   ammonium chloride

3. indicating a biological structure

   syncytium

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ium¹

< New Latin, Latin, neuter suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ium¹

New Latin, from Latin, from Greek -ion, diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

The preterite of the German dialect is formed by adding ium to the imperative, which is always the root of the verb.

From Project Gutenberg

Quinquenniad, kwin-kwen′i-ad, n. a period of five years—also Quinquenn′ium.

From Project Gutenberg

Satyrī′n, the argus butterflies; Satyr′ium, a genus of small flowered orchids; Sat′yrus, the genus of orangs—simia.

From Project Gutenberg

Triv′ialness; Triv′ium, in medieval schools the name given to the first three liberal arts—viz.

From Project Gutenberg

Exuvia -iae -ium: the cast skin of a larval insect: in Diaspinae the larval skin when cast and incorporated in the scale.

From Project Gutenberg