-ecilla
Spanish
Etymology
Form of -cilla, rebracketed from words ending in -e.
Suffix
-ecilla f (plural -ecillas)
- Alternative form of -ecillo; added to feminine nouns to form diminutives
- tienda (“shop”) + -ecilla → tiendecilla (“little shop”)
- red (“net”) + -ecilla → redecilla (“small net; hairnet; reticulum”)
- diosa (“goddess”) + -ecilla → diosecilla (“minor goddess”)
- mano (“hand”) + -ecilla → manecilla (“hand (of a clock); needle (of an instrument); doorknob”)
Usage notes
- If the noun has a final vowel (usually -a), it is dropped before adding -ecilla.
- In most cases, -ecilla is used simply to indicate a small or endeared thing, without changing the basic meaning of the noun; however, in some cases, it is used to effect a greater change in meaning, as shown in the examples above.
Derived terms
Category Spanish terms suffixed with -ecilla not found
Related terms
- -illa, -cilla, -cecilla
See also
- -ita, -cita, -ecita, -cecita
Further reading
- “-ecillo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014