| 释义 |
-ian, suffix
1. repr. L. -iān-us, i.e. an original or connective vowel -i-, with suffix -ānus: see -an 1, ‘of or belonging to’. Formed by adding -ānus to stems ending in -i, as Itali-a, Itali-ān-us, Fabi-us, Fabi-ān-us, Vergili-us, Vergili-ān-us, Christ-us, Christ-i-ān-us. Hence, in many Eng. words adapted or formed from L., in which the suffix forms both adjs. and ns., as antediluvian, barbarian, historian, equestrian, patrician, saturnian; and in modern formations from proper names, the number of which is without limit, as Addisonian, Arminian, Arnoldian, Bodleian, Cameronian, Gladstonian, Hoadleian, Hugonian, Johnsonian, Morrisonian, Ruskinian, Salisburyian, Shavian, Sheldonian, Taylorian, Tennysonian, Wardian, Wellsian, Wordsworthian; Aberdonian, Bathonian, Bostonian, Bristolian, Cantabrigian, Cornubian, Devonian, Galwegian, Glasgowegian, Johnian, Oxonian, Parisian, Salopian, Sierra Leonian. There are also sportive formations, as any-lengthian. See also -an.
2. Min. [Abstracted from the adjs. magnesian, manganesian.] Used to form, from the (Eng. or L.) names of the elements, adjectives having the sense ‘having a (small) proportion of a constituent element replaced by (the element concerned)’ (see quot.).
1930W. T. Schaller in Amer. Mineralogist XV. 568 Can a uniform, clearly understandable scheme of nomenclature be adopted to express a minor and variable isomorphous replacement of an essential chemical element of a mineral by another analogous element?.. The writer has concluded that the ending ian, or oan if it is desired to indicate a lower valency, is the most satisfactory, and its consistent use is here advocated... If the chemical element has only one valency or the author does not wish to bring up the question of valency, ian should be used. |