-ite

¹ American  

1. a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from adjectives, and from some verbs.

   composite; opposite; erudite; requisite.

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-ite ² American  

1. a suffix of nouns denoting especially persons associated with a place, tribe, leader, doctrine, system, etc. (Campbellite; Israelite; laborite ); minerals and fossils (ammonite; anthracite ); explosives (cordite; dynamite ); chemical compounds, especially salts of acids whose names end in -ous (phosphite; sulfite ); pharmaceutical and commercial products (vulcanite ); a member or component of a part of the body (somite ).

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-ite ¹ British  

suffix

1. a native or inhabitant of

   Israelite

2. a follower or advocate of; a member or supporter of a group

   Luddite

   labourite

3. (in biology) indicating a division of a body or organ

   somite

4. indicating a mineral or rock

   nephrite

   peridotite

5. indicating a commercial product

   vulcanite

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-ite ² British  

suffix

1. indicating a salt or ester of an acid having a name ending in -ous

   a nitrite is a salt of nitrous acid

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–ite Scientific  

1. A suffix used to form the names of minerals, such as hematite and malachite.

2. A suffix used to form the name of a salt or ester of a specified acid whose name ends in –ous. Such salts or esters have one oxygen atom fewer than corresponding salts or esters with names ending in –ate. For example, a nitrite is a salt of nitrous acid and contains the group NO ₂, while a nitrate contains NO ₃.

3. Compare –ate

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Etymology

Origin of -ite¹

< Latin -itus or -ītus past participle suffix

Origin of -ite¹

Middle English < Latin -ita < Greek -itēs; often directly < Greek; in some words representing French -ite, German -it, etc. < Latin < Greek, as above

Example Sentences

Yet Haniyeh, a Sunni Muslim, has had a major hand building up Hamas' fighting capacity, partly by nurturing relations with Shi'ite Muslim Iran, which makes no secret of its moral and material support for the group.

From Reuters

Yemen erupted in civil war after the Houthis, members of the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam, seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.

From Reuters

Under the governing system in place since the post-Saddam Hussein constitution was adopted in 2005, the prime minister is a member of the Shi'ite Muslim majority, the speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial role of president is held by a Kurd.

From Reuters

Halbousi, a 42-year-old engineer from western Iraq who worked as a U.S contractor after the invasion, cultivated good relations and made deals with powerful Shi'ite and Kurdish factions, who helped his rapid rise to power.

From Reuters

Under the governing system in place since the post-Saddam Hussein constitution was adopted in 2005, the prime minister is a member of the Shi’ite Muslim majority, the speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial role of president is held by a Kurd.

From Reuters