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Definition 2024


-nis

-nis

See also: nis, Nis, NIS, niś, niš, Niš, ñiś, and -niß

Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch -nissi, -nussi, from Proto-Germanic *-nassuz.

Suffix

-nis f (plural -nissen)

  1. -ness

Usage notes

The deverbal suffix -nis proved one of the most productive noun-forming suffixes in Dutch up until 16th century Dutch.[1] It was a deverbal noun former and formed with verbal stems, infinitives or participles. Nowaydays, the suffix -nis “-ness” is either no longer productive or at most marginally productive.

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Dutch_words_suffixed_with_-nis'>Dutch words suffixed with -nis</a>

References

  1. http://www.tntl.nl/index.php/tntl/article/view/286/272

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Cognate to English -ness, see -ness for more.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɪs/

Suffix

-nis n (genitive -nisses, plural -nisse)

  1. A suffix for deriving nouns from verbs or adjectives.
    hindern (to hinder, to hamper)Hindernis (an obstacle)
    geheim (secret, adjective)Geheimnis (a secret, noun)

Derived terms

Suffix

-nis f (genitive -nis, plural -nisse)

  1. A suffix for deriving nouns from from verbs or adjectives, etymologically identical to the preceding.
    erlauben (to permit)Erlaubnis (permission)
    finster (dark)Finsternis (darkness)

Derived terms

Usage notes

There is no perfect rule to determine whether a noun with the suffix -nis is neuter (→ suffix 1) or feminine (→ suffix 2). The former may be concrete or abstract, whereas the latter are almost exclusively abstract.


Old English

Alternative forms

Suffix

-nis f

  1. Used to form abstract nouns, usually from adjectives, denoting quality or state. See -nes