-ain
See also: ain, Ain, áin, aiŋ, a in, ain', and ain-
French
Etymology
From Old French -ain, from Latin -ānus, whence also French -an and -ien.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃/
Suffix
-ain m (feminine -aine)
- Suffix used to form demonyms, both nouns (uppercase) and adjectives (lowercase).
- Jamaïque + -ain → Jamaïcain
- Mexique + -ain → Mexicain
- Indicates the old oblique case (cas régime) of certain nouns.
- pute + -ain → putain
Derived terms
► <a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:French_words_suffixed_with_-ain' title='Category:French words suffixed with -ain'>French words suffixed with -ain</a>
Related terms
- -an
- -en
- -ien
Old French
Etymology
From Latin -ānus.
Suffix
-ain
- Forms the oblique case, especially for feminine nouns.
- pute + -ain → putain
- none + -ain → nonain
Descendants
- French: -ain