-an

views updated

-an repr. L. -ānus, -āna, -ānum of or belonging to, as in silvānus SILVAN, urbānus URBAN. The F. form -ain, -aine was at first retained in some adoptions, but was later superseded by -an. In german, germane, human, humane, urban, urbane, there is differentiation of meaning by the use of different forms of the suffix. See also -EAN, -IAN.

More From encyclopedia.com