-nis

From Old Dutch -nissi, -nussi, from Proto-Germanic *-nassuz.

-nis f (plural -nissen)

1. -ness

The deverbal suffix -nis proved one of the most productive noun-forming suffixes in Dutch up until 16th century Dutch.[1] It was a deverbal noun former and formed with verbal stems, infinitives or participles. Nowaydays, the suffix -nis “-ness” is either no longer productive or at most marginally productive.

• -niß, also -nüß, -nuß (obsolete)

Cognate to English -ness, see -ness for more.

• IPA^(key): /nɪs/

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-nis n (genitive -nisses, plural -nisse)

1. A suffix for deriving nouns from verbs or adjectives.

   hindern (“to hinder, to hamper”) → Hindernis (“an obstacle”)

   geheim (“secret”, adjective) → Geheimnis (“a secret”, noun)

-nis f (genitive -nis, plural -nisse)

1. A suffix for deriving nouns from verbs or adjectives, etymologically identical to the preceding.

   erlauben (“to permit”) → Erlaubnis (“permission”)

   finster (“dark”) → Finsternis (“darkness”)

There is no perfect rule to determine whether a noun with the suffix -nis is neuter (→ suffix 1) or feminine (→ suffix 2). The former may be concrete or abstract, whereas the latter are almost exclusively abstract.

-nis

1. Alternative form of -nesse

• “-nes(se, suf.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 9 April 2018.

• -nes

-nis f

1. Used to form abstract nouns, usually from adjectives, denoting quality or state. See -nes