-ant

Origin

From Middle English -ant, -aunt, partly from Old French -ant, from Latin case ending; and partly (in adjectival derivations) continuing Middle English -ant, a variant of -and, -end, from Old English -ende (present participle ending.), see -and.

Full definition of -ant

Suffix

(nowadays sciences, chiefly medicine) The agent noun derived from verb.

serve â†’ servant

An adjective corresponding to a noun in -ance.

defiance â†’ defiant.

(uncommon) An adjective derived from a verb.

err â†’ errant.

Usage notes

Many words in -ant were not actually coined in English and rather borrowed directly from Old French, Middle French or Modern French.

Related terms