DictionaryRoot: -inus
Latin
-inus
of, like, or belonging to
Forms
- -inus
- -ine — One later development in French and English.
Origin
An inherited Latin descriptive ending.
Note
Scientific naming later reused its descendants for substances, without making that its original meaning.
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noun / adjective
canine
KAY-nine/ˈkeɪnaɪn/
A member of the dog family, or relating to that family.
Etymology
The Latin formation means “of a dog.” English first used canine for pointed teeth, then also used it in the broader sense “relating to dogs.”