-gnus

See also: gnus, Gnus, and ġnus

Latin

Etymology

From a combining form *-ǵn(h₁)-os^[1] from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to produce, to beget, to give birth”), whence Latin gignō (“give birth”).^[2] Compare -genus, which was reformed from other forms.

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [nʊs]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ɲus]

Suffix

-gnus (feminine -gna, neuter -gnum); first/second-declension suffix

suffix forming adjectives denoting origin. born, originated from
‎bene (“well”) + ‎-gnus → ‎benignus (“kind, generous”)

‎male (“badly”) + ‎-gnus → ‎malignus (“ungenerous, grudging”)

‎bi- (“two-”) + ‎-gnus → ‎bignae (“twins”)

‎prīvus + ‎-gnus → ‎prīvignus (“stepson”)

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
	singular			plural
nominative	-gnus	-gna	-gnum	-gnī	-gnae	-gna
genitive	-gnī	-gnae	-gnī	-gnōrum	-gnārum	-gnōrum
dative	-gnō	-gnae	-gnō	-gnīs
accusative	-gnum	-gnam	-gnum	-gnōs	-gnās	-gna
ablative	-gnō	-gnā	-gnō	-gnīs
vocative	-gne	-gna	-gnum	-gnī	-gnae	-gna

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -gnus

References

^ Nussbaum, Alan J (2017), "The Latin “bonus rule” and benignus ‘generous, kind’" (preprint)
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “gignō”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 260–261

[1] Nussbaum, Alan J (2017), "The Latin “bonus rule” and benignus ‘generous, kind’" (preprint)

[2] De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “gignō”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 260–261

[1]

[2]