-ous

Alternative forms

• -ious
• -atous

Etymology

From Old French -ous and -eux, from Latin -ōsus ("full, full of").

Full definition of -ous

Suffix

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns.bulbous from bulbcourageous from couragejoyous from joypoisonous from poisonriotous from riot
2. (chemistry) Used in chemical nomenclature to name chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a lower oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -ic. For example sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than sulphurous acid (H₂SO₃). See Inorganic nomenclature.

Synonyms

• -ness
• -hood
• -ship
• -itas
• -itude
• -th
• -ia
• -itia
• -ity
• -ability
• -ibility
• -icity
• -osity
• -ose

Derived terms