-o-

Meaning

1. LatinmorphemeobsoleteSuffix forming nominal compounds
   Anglus (“Angle, English”) + -o- + saxonicus (“Saxon”) → anglosaxonicus (“Anglo-Saxon”)

Origins

Adopted from the thematic vowel in Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-), often used to form nominal compounds. In Ancient Greek, the connective suffix originates in compounds where the first member is thematic, such as δημοκρατία (dēmokratía), but was extended by analogy to other stems, such as μητρόπολις (mētrópolis). The suffix was borrowed as a connective into Latin, mainly in compounds of Greek origin. The suffix becomes productive and forms new compounds in learned humanist Latin, from the Renaissance. The connective is especially productive in connecting ethnonyms or geographical terms; genuine Greek stems include Gallo-, and Syro-, but most are of medieval or modern origin, productive from the 15th century, such as Anglo-, Graeco- or Latino-.