Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-ate

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.34 in modern English

Syllables
-ate
IPA
3
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

forms adjectives with meaning "having the specified thing"

suffix

forms adjectives with meaning "characterized by the specified thing"

suffix

forms adjectives with meaning "resembling the specified thing"

suffix

ending of Latin- (ending in -ātus) and French-borrowed (ending in -é) participial adjectives

suffix

up until Early Modern English, formed regular past participles of verbs ending in -ate. Rare afterwards except in archaizing poetry, religious writing and Scotland. The alternative ending -ated was used from as early as Middle English

Obsolete

suffix

derives or adapts verbs (mostly) from Latin stems

suffix

forms nouns meaning "person or thing that is either the object of a performed transitive verb or the subject of an intransitive one"

suffix

forms nouns meaning "person or thing that is the subject of a transitive verb"

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

First attested in the 15th century; borrowed from Latin -ātus, the perfect passive participle ending of first conjugation verbs, also used to form participial adjectives from nouns. Before -ate was introduced as a suffix in Middle English, Latin-borrowed participial adjectives were written with final -at (Middle English desolat for modern desolate) and could also be used as past participles (see degenerate or communicate for remnants of it) with or without a corresponding verb ending in -aten; see Etymology 2. Doublet of -ee and, distantly, of -ed.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

more -ate (comparative) most -ate (superlative) -ates (present, singular) -ating (participle, present) -ated (participle, past) -ated (past) -ates (plural)

Phrases

-ation -ative -ator

Frequently Paired Words

-ation -ative -ator

Synonyms

-ed -ous -ee -cy

Questions

What does -ate mean?
forms adjectives with meaning "having the specified thing"
Where does -ate come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce -ate

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “-ate”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “-ate”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “-ate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.