-ize

• -ise (non-Oxford British spelling)

From Middle English -isen (“-ise, -ize”), from Old French -iser (“-ize”), from Latin -izāre (“-ize”), from Ancient Greek -ίζειν (-ízein), from Proto-Indo-European *-idyé- (verbal suffix). Cognate with Gothic -𐌹𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (-itjan, verbal suffix), Old High German -izzen (verbal suffix), Old English -ettan (verbal suffix). Also see notes.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /-aɪz/

-ize

1. Used to form verbs from nouns or adjectives
   1. to make what is denoted by the noun/adjective

      pixel - pixelize

   2. to do what is denoted by the noun/adjective

      cannibal - cannibalise

• The suffix -ize has historically been used on words originating from Greek. -ise was used, especially as -vise, -tise, -cise, and -prise, on words that come from various roots (usually via French). In the 19th century, it became common in the United Kingdom (due to French influence) to use -ise also on words that had historically been spelled -ize. -ise is also common in Ireland, India, Australia, and New Zealand. -ize remains, however, the spelling used by the influential Oxford University Press; it has also always been the spelling used in the United States and Canada.

• -izer, -ization