-atic

views updated

-atic repr. F. -atique — L. -āticus, orig. f. pp. stems in -āt- (see -ATE3) + -icus -IC, as errāticus ERRATIC, later extended to sbs., e.g. aquāticus AQUATIC. The neuter of such adjs. was used as sb., e.g. VIATICUM, whence the extended use of the suffix in Rom. repr. by -AGE. In AROMATIC, AXIOMATIC, PROBLEMATIC, and the like, -atic repr. Gr. -atikós, f. n. stems in -at-.