-osity

English

Etymology

From Middle English -ouste, from Old French -ouseté, from Latin -ōsitāt-; later modified to the current form.[1][2] It is equivalent to -ose or -ous + -ity.

Pronunciation

Suffix

-osity

  1. Forming nouns, usually abstract, and usually from adjectives in -ous or -ose.
  2. (colloquial) Forming nouns from other adjectives for humorous effect.

Usage notes

Rarely productive in English, outside of humorous use – primarily found in borrowings from Latin, often via French.

Synonyms

Derived terms
terms derived from adjectives in -ous
terms derived from adjectives in -ose
other derivations
terms derived using -osity for humorous effect

References
  1. “-osity” in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989, →ISBN.
  2. Why is it spelled “curiosity” instead of “curiousity?”

Anagrams
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