-eus¹

Meaning

1. morphemesuffixderives relational adjectives from nouns, used chiefly to indicate material composition
   Near-synonyms: -īnus, -us, -icus
2. morphemesuffixfrom materials
   argentum (“silver”) + -eus → argenteus (“made of silver”)
   ferrum (“iron”) + -eus → ferreus (“made of iron”)
3. morphemesuffixto form color adjectives
   nix (“snow”) + -eus → niveus (“snow-white”)
   purpura (“murex dye”) + -eus → purpureus (“purple”)
4. morphemeraresuffixfrom other nouns
   taurus (“a bull, ox”) + -eus → taureus (“made from a bull's hide; pertaining to bulls, taurine”)
   Caesar + -eus → Caesareus (“pertaining to Caesar; imperial”)

Origins

From Proto-Italic *-eos, from Proto-Indo-European *-e- + *-yós. Compare with its adoption through Ancient Greek (Etymology 2).

Related words

Meaning

1. masculinemorphemeending found in adopted Greek male names
   Nereus
   Odysseus

Origins

Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús)bor. Latin -eus Borrowed from Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús).

Meaning

1. morphemesuffixending found in adopted Greek adjectives and substantives, surviving thus or as -īvus

Origins

* From adjectives ending in Ancient Greek -(ε)ιος (-(e)ios), compare -ius. * From Ancient Greek -εῖος /-ειος (-eîos), also from Proto-Indo-European *-e- + *-yós. Compare with its inherited form (Etymology 1). * From Ancient Greek -εῖος (-eîos), from Proto-Indo-European *-iH- + *-wós. Compare with its inherited form -īvus.