-ern
English
Etymology
In form, from Middle English -erne, -ern, -ren, -ron (northern(e), northron, so(u)thern(e), sothron, etc), from Old English -erne (norþerne, etc), from Proto-Germanic *-r- (probably from rebracketing of *nurþrōnijaz etc) + *-ōnijaz, whence also Old High German -rōni, Old Saxon -rōni, Old Norse -rǿnn / Old Norse -ǿnn. In practice, possibly a back-formation from northern, southern, etc.
(Contrast the -ern in hāliġern, etc., which is related to ærn (“place”).)
Suffix
-ern
- (nonstandard outside fossilized words) Added to the names of directions to form adjectives.
Derived terms
Related terms
See also
Further reading
- “-ern”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
Anagrams
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [-ɐn]
Audio: (file)
Etymology 1
Suffix
-ern
- (now rarely productive) iterative suffix, used to form verbs from other verbs
- Synonym: -eln
- used to form verbs from nouns, often with an additional prefix
- be- + Weihrauch (“incense”) + -ern → beweihräuchern (“to incense”)
Etymology 2
Extended form of -en, generalised from such forms as silbern, kupfern, ledern, originally also eisern, in which -er is part of the stem.
Suffix
-ern
Etymology 3
Equivalent to -er (plural suffix) + -n (dative plural suffix). The former was originally a stem extension, so it could be followed by another declensional suffix.
Suffix
-ern
- Dative plural suffix for nouns that form the plural in -er.
- der Mann – den Männern ― the man – to the men
Usage notes
- Can be considered a suffix or a series of two suffixes. In words where -er is part of the singular (e.g. den Rechnern) only the latter interpretation is possible.
Derived terms
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English -ern, from ærn (“place”).
Suffix
-ern
- Denotes a place related to the noun it attaches to
Etymology 2
From Old English -erne.
Suffix
-ern
- alternative form of -erne
Descendants
- English: -ern
Old English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ern/, [erˠn]
Etymology 1
From the adjectival use of -ærn (“noun suffix denoting location”), from ærn (“place”).
Alternative forms
Suffix
-ern
Declension
Strong a-stem:
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | -ern | -ernu |
| accusative | -ern | -ernu |
| genitive | -ernes | -erna |
| dative | -erne | -ernum |
Derived terms
Descendants
- Middle English: -ern
Etymology 2
Variant of -erne.
Suffix
-ern
- Suffix meaning "toward a place"; alternative form of -erne