-istic

views updated

-istic repr. F. -istique, L. -isticus — Gr. -istikós, comp. suffix f. -istḗs -IST + -ikós -IC, as in sophistikós SOPHISTIC(AL); but used also where there is a corr. vb. in -izein -IZE, and sb. in -ismós -ISM but not a sb. in -istḗs -IST, as in kharaktēristikós CHARACTERISTIC. The use of this suffix was much extended in medL. and mod. langs. An alternative secondary form is -istical, whence the gen. adv. -istically; there is also a parallel -isticate for related vbs.; e.g. sophistic, -ical, -ically, -icate(d).

More From encyclopedia.com