-ile

also -il, word-forming element denoting ability or capacity, from Old French -il or directly from Latin adjectival suffix -ilis. Used in classical and Medieval Latin to form ordinal numbers, which accounts for its use from late 19c. in statistics (percentile, etc.).

Entries linking to -ile

percentile (n.)

in statistics, "each of a series of values obtained by dividing a large number of quantities into 100 equal groups in order of magnitude," 1885, coined by English scientist Francis Galton (1822-1911) from percent + -ile.

projectile (adj.)

1690s, "caused by impulse;" 1715, "impelling, throwing;" see project (v.) + -ile. By 1865 as "capable of being thrust forward." Projectile vomiting is attested from 1985.

More to Explore

isle

late 13c., ile, from Old French ile, earlier isle, from Latin insula "island," a word of uncertain origin....

homily

assembled crowd," from homou "together" (from PIE *somalo-, suffixed form of root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with") + ile...

aisle

It was confused from 15c. with unrelated Middle English ile "island" (perhaps from notion of a "detached" part of a church...

will

In early use often -ile to preserve pronunciation. The form with an apostrophe ('ll) is from 17c....

labyrinth

c. 1400, laberynthe (late 14c. in Latinate form laborintus) "labyrinth, maze, great building with many corridors and turns," figuratively "bewildering arguments," from Latin labyrinthus, from Greek labyrinthos "maze, large building with intricate passages," especially the structu

bingo

lotto-like game of chance, 1924; there are many theories about its origin, none satisfying; the most likely is bingo! as an exclamation of sudden realization or surprise (attested from 1923). Uncertain connection to the slang word for "brandy" (1690s), attested as "liquor" in Ame

Caesar

"an emperor, a ruler, a dictator," late 14c., cesar, from Cæsar, originally a surname of the Julian gens in Rome, elevated to a title after Caius Julius Caesar (100 B.C.E.-44 B.C.E.) became dictator; it was used as a title of emperors down to Hadrian (138 C.E.). The name is of un

mantle

Old English mentel "a loose, sleeveless garment worn as an outer covering, falling in straight lines from the shoulders," from Latin mantellum "cloak" (source of Italian mantello, Old High German mantal, German Mantel, Old Norse mötull), perhaps from a Celtic source, or, if the L

hedge

Old English hecg "hedge," originally any fence, living or artificial, from West Germanic *hagjo (source also of Middle Dutch hegge, Dutch heg, Old High German hegga, German Hecke "hedge"), from a verb *hagjanan, from PIE root *kagh- "to catch, seize; wickerwork, fence" (source al

confusion

c. 1300, confusioun, "overthrow, ruin," from Old French confusion "disorder, confusion, shame" (11c.) and directly from Latin confusionem (nominative confusio) "a mingling, mixing, blending; confusion, disorder," noun of action from past-participle stem of confundere "to pour tog

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updated on September 28, 2017

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