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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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A peregrine falcon with dark hood and moustache markings perches alertly, showing barred pale underside, pointed folded wings and yellow cere.
noun

peregrine

PERR-ih-grin/ˈperɪɡrɪn/

A falcon known for its exceptionally fast diving flight.

Etymology
perLatinthrough; thoroughly
+egrLatinfield, country
+ineLatinof, like, or belonging to

“Away” and “country” underlie the idea of coming from foreign parts. Why this named the falcon is unclear; it may have referred to birds caught in transit rather than taken from the nest.

Full entry

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