-ium

-ium

See also: Ium

English

Etymology

From Latin -um (“neuter singular morphological suffix”), based on Latin terms for metals such as ferrum (“iron”).

Suffix

-ium

1. (chemistry) Used to form the names of metal elements, after the style of early-named elements, as well as the isotopes of hydrogen.
2. (chemistry) Used to form the temporary systematic element name of a metallic or nonmetallic element which is postulated to exist, or which has been newly synthesized and has not yet been assigned a permanent name.
3. (chemistry) Used to form the name of polyatomic cations.
4. (by extension, humorous) Appended to common words to create scientific-sounding or humorous-sounding fictional substance names.
   • 1997, Bryan Pfaffenberger, Official Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 book, page 34:

     According to the FAQ, a site's coolness can be attributed to a trace element called coolium.

   • 2007, Jason Lethcoe, Wishing Well, appendix, page ii:

     Stupidium: Exposure to this Element can cause very silly behavior.

   • 2009, Selena Kitt, Quickies, page 91:

     We're at the North Pole, aren't we? Let's just call the new element Santa Clausium!

5. Used to form the name of an aggregation or mass of something, such as biological tissue for example, epithelium, pollinium. Words so formed often form their plural with -ia.
6. Used to indicate the setting where a given activity is carried out: for example, auditorium, colloquium, gymnasium, natatorium, planetarium, podium, sanatorium, stadium. Words so formed often take -ia for the plural.
7. (pharmacology) Used to form names of quaternary ammonium compounds used as neuromuscular blocking agents, cholinergic agents, anticholinergic agents, antibacterials/antiseptics, or other agents.

   Alternative form: -onium

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -ium

See also

• -um
• -ion

Anagrams

• IMU, MUI, Miu, Mui, UIM, imu

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Dutch

Suffix

-ium

1. -ium

Dutch terms suffixed with -ium

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Latin

Etymology

From -ius (suffix forming adjectives): as a nominal suffix (Suffix 1), a substantivisation of its neuter forms; as an adjectival suffix (Suffix 2), regularly declined forms.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /i.um/, [iʊ̃ˑ]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /i.um/, [ium] (stressed on the antepenult)

Suffix

-ium n (genitive -iī or -ī); second declension

1. Suffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes denoting offices and groups. May no longer be productive.

   ‎auspex + ‎-ium → ‎auspicium

   ‎dēsīderō + ‎-ium → ‎dēsīderium

   ‎castellum (“castle”) + ‎-ium → ‎castilium (“fortified city”)

2. (New Latin) Suffix appended to form names of chemical elements.

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-ium	-ia
Genitive	-iī -ī1	-iōrum
Dative	-iō	-iīs
Accusative	-ium	-ia
Ablative	-iō	-iīs
Vocative	-ium	-ia

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

Derived terms

• aestimium
• alloquium
• ambivium
• cōnfluvium

Latin terms suffixed with -ium

Descendants

• Norwegian Bokmål: -ium

Suffix

-ium

1. inflection of -ius:
   1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular
   2. accusative masculine singular

References

• “-ium” on page 981/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin -ium (forms names of chemical elements), from -ius (forms adjectives), from Old Latin -iōs, from Proto-Italic *-jos (forms comparative adverbs), from Proto-Indo-European *-yōs ~ *-is- (forms adjectives).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪ.ʉm/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʉm
• Hyphenation: -i‧um

Suffix

-ium

1. Used to form nouns (loanwords) of Greek or Latin origin; -ium

   akvarium, evangelium, kriterium, kollegium, laboratorium, medium, privilegium, sanatorium, studium ― aquarium, gospel, criterion, college, laboratory, medium, privilege, sanatorium, study

2. (chemistry) Used to form nouns denoting chemical compounds, especially elements; -ium

   barium, aluminium, beryllium, ammonium ― barium, aluminium, beryllium, ammonium

3. (botany) Used to form nouns denoting plant designations; -ium

   geranium ― geranium

4. (geology) Used to form nouns denoting geological designations; -ium

   alluvium, kambrium, ordovicium ― alluvium, cambrium, ordovicium

References

• “-ium” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).