• -ite

    Pronunciation

    • GenAm IPA: /-aɪt/

    Origin 1

    Via Old French, from Latin -ites

    Full definition of -ite

    Suffix

    1. a follower or adherent of a specified person
    2. a descendant of a specified historical person
      • 1830, Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
    3. part of the body or part of an organ of the body
    4. a rock, mineral or fossil
    5. the product of a specified process or a commercial product
    6. (chiefly US) a native or resident of a specified place
    7. (chemistry) a salt or ester of an acid whose name ends in -ous

    Derived terms

    follower; adherent
    descendant of a personage
    part of the body or an organ thereof
    rock; mineral; fossil
    a commercial or process’s product
    (mostly US) an area’s inhabitant
    (chemistry) a salt or ester of an -ous-terminal acid

    Pronunciation

    • GenAm either IPA: /-aɪt/ or IPA: /-ɪt/

    Origin 2

    From Latin past participles in -Ä«tus, of verbs in -Ä«re, -Ä•re, -Ä“re, partly via Old French.

    Suffix

    1. forming adjectives

    Derived terms

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