-eț

Probably from Latin -icius. Compare Italian -iccio, Spanish -izo, Portuguese -iço; cf. also French -iche. Its occasional use to form nouns may have originated with adjectives that were later substantivized/nominalized over time. Alternatively, of Slavic origin.

• IPA^(key): /et͡s/

-eț m or n (feminine singular -eață, masculine plural -eți, feminine and neuter plural -ețe)

1. used to form adjectives from nouns or verbs denoting propensity or likeness, being inclined toward, or having the quality of (e.g. orb > orbeț, pădure (“woods, forest”) > pădureț (“wild”), îndrăzni (“to dare, venture”) > îndrăzneț (“bold, daring, courageous”), lume (“world, people”) > lumeț (“social; liking people; cheerful, chirpy”)); may be roughly compared to -y or -ish in some cases; see also -ăreț, with a similar function
2. used to form nouns relating to another noun or action (e.g. drum (“road”) > drumeț (“voyager, traveler, hiker”))
3. used to form diminutives of some nouns (e.g. pod (“bridge”) > podeț (“footbridge”))

• -ăreț

• -eață
• -iță
• -esc