-ous — English Dictionary

Suffix

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns, to denote: possession of

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Synonyms

   -ate

   Examples

   bulb + -ous → bulbous

2. Used to form adjectives from nouns, to denote: presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   courage + -ous → courageous

   joy + -ous → joyous

   More examples (2)

   poison + -ous → poisonous

   riot + -ous → riotous

3. Used to form adjectives from nouns, to denote: relation or pertinence to

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   aptonym + -ous → aptonymous

   arrhenotoky + -ous → arrhenotokous

4. Used in chemical nomenclature to name chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -ic. For example sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than sulphurous acid (H₂SO₃). See Inorganic nomenclature.

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Synonyms

   -y

   Related words

   -osity-ose-ability-hood-ia-ibility-icity-itude-ity-ness-ship-th