| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024-ary, - suffix.
- -ary is attached to some nouns to form adjectives with the meaning: "relating to, connected with'': element + -ary → elementary;
honor + -ary → honorary. - -ary is attached to some roots to form personal nouns, or nouns that refer to objects that hold or contain things: secretary;
-libr- (= root meaning "book'') + -ary → library (= place for holding books);
glossary (= place containing specialized words and their meanings). - -ary is attached to some nouns to form adjectives with the meanings "contributing to;
for the purpose of'': inflation + -ary → inflationary (= contributing to inflation);
compliment + -ary → complimentary (= for the purpose of complimenting).
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: -ary suffix - (forming adjectives) of; related to; belonging to: cautionary, rudimentary
- (forming nouns) a person connected with or engaged in: missionary
- a thing relating to; a place for: commentary, aviary
Etymology: from Latin -ārius,-āria,-ārium ar•y (âr′ē),USA pronunciation adj. [Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.]- Dialect Termsany;
anyone. - Dialect Termsnone, not any;
nary.
- alteration of e'er a ever a, in sense "any'' 1810–20
- a suffix occurring originally in loanwords from Classical and Medieval Latin, on adjectives (elementary;
honorary;
stationary;
tributary), personal nouns (actuary;
notary;
secretary), or nouns denoting objects, esp. receptacles or places (library;
rosary;
glossary). The suffix has the general sense "pertaining to, connected with'' the referent named by the base;
it is productive in English, sometimes with the additional senses "contributing to,'' "for the purpose of,'' and usually forming adjectives:complimentary; revolutionary;inflationary.
- Latin -ārius, -a, -um; English personal nouns reflect -ārius, objects and places -ārium or -āria; inherited and adopted French forms of this suffix are -er2, -eer, -ier2, -aire; compare -er1
- Middle English -arie
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