-ation

an action, process, or result

Forms

Borrowed through French from Latin -atio, the form of an action ending used with many -are verbs.

English speakers later attached this ending to bases that were not themselves Latin verbs.

40 / 42

noun

Shaping a political position by combining ideas from opposing sides.

Etymology

The political metaphor locates a new position in relation to two established sides. It combines selected ideas to claim a third standpoint.