-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.

Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative -ellus -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella
Genitive -ellī -ellae -ellī -ellōrum -ellārum -ellōrum
Dative -ellō -ellō -ellīs
Accusative -ellum -ellam -ellum -ellōs -ellās -ella
Ablative -ellō -ellā -ellō -ellīs
Vocative -elle -ella -ellum -ellī -ellae -ella

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -ellus

Descendants

  • Asturian: -iellu
  • Aromanian: -el, -ãl
  • Catalan: -ell
  • Extremaduran: -illu
  • French: -eau, -el
  • Galician: -elo
  • Italian: -ello
  • Occitan: -el
  • Portuguese: -elo
  • Romanian: -el
  • Sardinian: -eddu
  • Spanish: -elo, -illo, -iello, -el
  • Sicilian: -eḍḍu
  • Walloon: -ea
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