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DictionaryRoot: -atus
Latin

-atus

having or having undergone something

Forms

  • -atus
  • -at- — The form used before further Latin endings.
  • -ate — An English development of the Latin ending.

Origin

Latin -atus was commonly formed from verbs ending in -are; it also formed descriptions from nouns.

Note

It can express either the result of an action or possession of a feature.

62 / 97
A small literary discussion group of Black, East Asian and white middle-aged adults considering open books at a library table.
noun

literati

lit-uh-RAH-tee/ˌlɪtəˈrɑːti/

Well-educated literary or intellectual people considered as a group.

Etymology
literLatinletter or written character
+atiLatinhaving or having undergone something

Here knowledge of letters stands for literary learning, not merely basic reading ability. The plural names educated people collectively as a learned or literary class.

Full entry

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