English

-(s)

Added to the end of a singular noun (which normally uses the suffix -s to become plural) to indicate that the noun represents an unknown number which may be one or more than one.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
    React Flow

    Click a node to zoom in · double-click to open it

    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From -s (suffix forming regular plurals of nouns) and ( ) (encloses optional variants or variant elements).

    Etymology 2

    From -s (suffix forming the third-person singular indicative present tense of verbs) and ( ) (encloses optional variants or variant elements).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • derivedEnglish-s “Used to form regular plurals of nouns.”
      • inheritedMiddle English-es “adverbial ending”
        • inheritedOld English-es “-'s”
        • inheritedOld English-as
        • inheritedOld English-es, -as
        • derivedOld English-es “-'s”
      • derivedEnglish-sy “Suffix forming nouns or adjectives, sometimes diminutive and usually informal or jocular.”
        • suffixEnglish-y “Added to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives meaning “having the quality of”, either “involving…”
      • derivedEnglish-'s “A possessive marker, indicating that an object belongs to the noun or noun phrase bearing the marke…”
        • inheritedMiddle English-s

    Sources