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DictionaryRoot: -alis
Latin

-alis

of, relating to

Forms

  • -alis
  • -aris — Latin variant especially used when the stem already contained l, avoiding a repeated l sound.
  • -al — English ending borrowed through French or directly from Latin.
  • -ar — English ending continuing Latin -aris.

Origin

An older Latin adjective-forming suffix; its more remote ancestry is uncertain.

Note

Expresses a relationship without specifying its kind: material, place, purpose, and other connections are possible.

184 / 336
A young adult studies a partly solved geometric puzzle, comparing loose pieces with the remaining gap before making a move.
adjective

mental

MEN-tul/ˈmentl/

Relating to the mind or thought.

Etymology
mentLatinmind
+alLatinof, relating to

The pieces mean “relating to the mind.” This also underlies the use of mental for something performed in thought, as in mental arithmetic.

Full entry

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