-io

an action, process, or result

Forms

-io
-ion- — The longer form used before Latin endings.
-ion — The form carried into many English nouns.

Origin

An old Latin noun ending, inherited from earlier Indo-European word formation.

Note

The ending can name both an activity and what that activity produces.

26 / 371

noun

aspersion

uh-SPUR-zhun/ʌspˈɝʒʌn/

A remark or suggestion that damages someone's reputation.

The detractor's whispered aspersion turns the listener's friendliness into distrust.

A compact two-moment scene shows a malicious remark turning a listener’s friendly regard for another person into distrust: an approachable colleague is warmly greeted, then privately pointed out by a whispering detractor as the listener withdraws.

Etymology

aLatinto, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

+spersLatinscatter, sprinkle, or strew

+ionLatinan action, process, or result

An aspersion was literally a sprinkling onto something. The damaging-remark sense turns this into a figurative bespattering: slander is cast onto someone’s reputation.

In context

Libranima82:25

the slanderous aspersion has been disproved, that the vocation of whaling is throughout a slatternly, untidy business.

Moby Dick - Illustrated Audiobook for Focused Reading (Part 3/3)

More examples

He refused to cast aspersions on his former colleagues.
The article contained an unsupported aspersion about the judge.
She challenged every aspersion against her professional reputation.

Forms

aspersion · aspersions

Similar words

insinuation: An indirect suggestion that need not damage a reputation.
slander: A false damaging statement rather than any disparaging suggestion.