desinence

[ des-uh-nuh ns ]
/ ˈdɛs ə nəns /

noun

a termination or ending, as the final line of a verse.
Grammar. a termination, ending, or suffix of a word.

Origin of desinence

1590–1600; < French < Medieval Latin dēsinentia, equivalent to Latin dēsinent- (stem of dēsinēns), present participle of dēsinere to put down, leave ( dē- de- + sinere to leave) + -ia -ia; see -ence

OTHER WORDS FROM desinence

des·i·nent, des·i·nen·tial [des-uh-nen-shuh l] /ˌdɛs əˈnɛn ʃəl/, adjective

Words nearby desinence

designer gene, designing, designment, desilver, desilverize, desinence, desipramine, desirable, desire, desire under the elms, desired

Example sentences from the Web for desinence

  • Unquestionably the incomers from Brabant and Flanders, whether as troopers or artisans, gave a great impulse to the desinence.

    Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature |Charles W. Bardsley

  • Conservation must, therefore, be the rule, and desinence the impossible exception.

    Life: Its True Genesis |R. W. Wright

British Dictionary definitions for desinence

desinence
/ (ˈdɛsɪnəns) /

noun

grammar an ending or termination, esp an inflectional ending of a word

Derived forms of desinence

desinent or desinential (ˌdɛsɪˈnɛnʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for desinence

C16: from French désinence, from Latin dēsinēns ending, from dēsinere to leave off, from de- + sinere to leave, permit