-ellus

Latin

Etymology

    By rebracketing of diminutives such as libellus (liber +‎ -lus) or fēmella (fēmina +‎ -la), where the stem consonants -n- and -r- shifted to -l- by regressive assimilation; or diminutives of diminutives such as porcellus (porculus +‎ -lus).

    Pronunciation

    Suffix

    -ellus (feminine -ella, neuter -ellum); first/second-declension suffix

    1. alternative form of -ulus
      ager + ‎-ellus → ‎agrellus (little field) (compare this to agellus, which is from ager +‎ -lus)

    Usage notes

    The suffix -ellus is added to a noun to form a diminutive of that noun.

    calamus (reed) + ‎-ellus → ‎calamellus (little reed or pen)

    When added to an adjective, it forms a diminutive of that adjective.

    hirtus (hairy) + ‎-ellus → ‎hirtellus (slightly hairy)

    Declension

    First/second-declension adjective.

    singular plural
    masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
    nominative -ellus -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella
    genitive -ellī -ellae -ellī -ellōrum -ellārum -ellōrum
    dative -ellō -ellae -ellō -ellīs
    accusative -ellum -ellam -ellum -ellōs -ellās -ella
    ablative -ellō -ellā -ellō -ellīs
    vocative -elle -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • Aromanian: -el, -ãl
    • Catalan: -ell
    • Extremaduran: -illu
    • Franco-Provençal: -él
    • Old French: -el
      • Angevin: -iau
      • Bourbonnais-Berrichon: -iau
      • Champenois: , -iau
      • Bourguignon: -eâ
      • Franc-Comtois: , -ia
      • French: -eau
      • Gallo: , -iao
      • Norman: , iaô
      • Picard: -iau, -ieu
      • Poitevin-Saintongeais: -ea
      • Walloon: -ea
    • Galician: -elo
    • Italian: -ello
    • Occitan: -el
    • Portuguese: -elo
    • Romanian: -el
    • Sardinian: -eddu
    • Old Leonese: -iello
      • Asturian: -iellu, -ieḷḷu,-iillu (Mining Basins, Peñes)
      • Leonese: -iellu
      • Mirandese: -ielho
    • Old Spanish: -iello
    • Spanish: -elo, -el
    • Sicilian: -eḍḍu