-th
/-θ/ · suffix
Meaning
- Used to form a term denoting the ordinal numeral corresponding to the value, being a natural number, of a mathematical expression.
- Used to form the ordinal numeral when the final term of the spelled number is not “first”, “second”, or “third”.
- Used to form nouns of quality from adjectives.
- A variant of -eth, used to form the archaic third-person singular indicative present tense of verbs.
- Used to form the denominator of a fraction.
- Used to form nouns from verbs of action.
Etymology / origin
From Middle English -the, -th, -te, -t (abstract nominal suffix), from Old English -þ, -t, -þu, -tu, -þo, -to (“-th”, abstract nominal suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-iþō, from Proto-Indo-European *-iteh₂. Cognate with Scots -th, West Frisian -te, Dutch -te, Low German -de, Danish -de, Swedish -d, Icelandic -ð, -d, Gothic -𐌹𐌸𐌰 (-iþa), Latin -itās (“-ty, -ity”). See -ity, -t.
Sources
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