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DictionaryRoot: -icus
Latin

-icus

connected with or characteristic of

Forms

  • -icus
  • -ic — The Latin ending shortened in later languages.

Origin

A Latin descriptive ending, related to Greek -ikos; Greek borrowing also increased its use.

Note

Its English descendants often indicate a relationship without saying exactly what kind.

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A South Asian graduate student studying carefully beside books and scientific notes in a university library, no legible text.
adjective / noun

academic

ak-uh-DEM-ik/ˌækəˈdemɪk/

Concerned with formal education or scholarly inquiry.

Etymology
academLatinPlato’s Academy
+icLatinconnected with or characteristic of

Originally relating to Plato’s Academy, the word broadened as academy became a name for other places of learning. This connects its modern scholarly meaning to a particular ancient school.

Full entry

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