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-le

1 American  

  1. a suffix of verbs having a frequentative force.

    dazzle; twinkle.

  2. a suffix of adjectives formed originally on verbal stems and having the sense of “apt to”.

    brittle.

  3. a noun suffix having originally a diminutive meaning.

    bramble.

  4. a noun suffix indicating agent or instrument.

    beadle; bridle; thimble.
l.e. 2 American  

abbreviation

Football.

  1. left end.

LE 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. lupus erythematosus

"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
-le 2 British  

suffix

  1. denoting repeated or continuous action, often of a diminutive nature

    twiddle

    wriggle

    wrestle
"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

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.

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

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.