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DictionaryRoot: -ikos
Greek

-ikos

connected with or characteristic of

Forms

  • -ikos
  • -ic — The ending shortened as Greek words entered Latin, French, and English.

Origin

Greek -ikos continued an older Indo-European ending used to describe a connection or kind.

Note

English extended this borrowed ending to newly coined words.

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A man directly tests two fabric samples for water resistance, comparing the water that passes through each under matching conditions.
adjective / noun

empiric

im-PIR-ik/ɪmˈpɪrɪk/

Relying on observation and practical experience rather than theory.

Etymology
emGreekin, within
+pirGreektrial, experiment
+icGreekconnected with or characteristic of

The combination of “in” and “trial” underlies the Greek sense “experienced” or “proven by use.” Applied originally to physicians guided by experience rather than theory, it connects practical testing with the modern meaning.

Full entry

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