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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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An older woman calmly holds still while a nurse dresses a visibly painful scraped forearm, contrasting evident injury with composed posture and expression.
adjective / noun

stoic

STOH-ik/stˈoʊɪk/

A follower of Stoic ideals of rational self-control.

Etymology
stoGreekporch, portico
+icGreekconnected with or characteristic of

The porch was the Painted Porch in Athens, where Zeno taught. His school's name came to describe someone who represses feelings or endures patiently, giving the adjective its everyday sense.

Full entry

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