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-a

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-a¹

  • /ɑ/ US, UK
  • /ə/ US, UK

Sounds like -er, -or (in non-rhotic accents)

Where it comes from

Learned borrowing from Latin -a (nominative second declension neuter plural suffix), plural counterpart to -um (nominative second declension neuter singular suffix).

suffix

  1. morpheme, plural plural of -um-um

-a²

  • /ɑ/ US, UK
  • /ə/ US, UK

Sounds like -er, -or (in non-rhotic accents)

Where it comes from

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek -α (-a, nominative second declension neuter plural suffix), plural counterpart to -ον (-on, nominative second declension neuter singular suffix).

suffix

  1. morpheme, plural plural of -on-on

-a³

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Learned borrowing from Latin -a (nominative first declension neuter singular suffix)

suffix -as · -ae

  1. morpheme Marks singular nouns, with a foundation in Greek or Latin, often implying femininity, especially when contrasted with words terminating in -us.
  2. morpheme Changes an element or substance into an oxide. magnesium + -a → magnesia

Similar: -ess, -ette, -ine, -ress, she-, -trix

-a⁴

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Italian -a, Spanish -a and Portuguese -a, all feminine noun suffixes from Latin -a.

suffix

  1. morpheme Marks nouns, with a foundation in Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese, implying femininity. donna

Similar: -ess, -ette, -ine, -ress, she-, -trix

-a⁵

  • /ə/ US, UK
  • /eɪ/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Added especially for metrical reasons, or as an empty filler syllable.

suffix

  1. morpheme Added for metrical reasons to songs, poetry and verse, or as an empty filler syllable to other speech. A merry heart goes all the day Your sad tires in a mile-a

-a⁶

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Contraction of have.

suffix

  1. alternative, morpheme, slang Alternative form of 've.'ve who'da thunk it?

-a⁷

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Contraction of of.

suffix

  1. clitic, morpheme, slang Clitic form of o' (contraction of of).o' buncha, cuppa, kinda, loadsa, lotta, sorta

-a⁸

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Contraction of to.

suffix

  1. informal, morpheme to (infinitive marker) oughta

-a⁹

  • /ə/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Contraction of do.

suffix

  1. informal, morpheme do (infinitive marker) whatta

-a10

Where it comes from

A pronunciation spelling of -er, representing the unstressed schwa /ə/ in non-rhotic dialects.

suffix

  1. US, morpheme, pronunciation spelling Pronunciation spelling of -er (the agent noun suffix).-er busta, hustla, killa, stunna, sucka
  2. Australia, New Zealand, UK, morpheme, pronunciation spelling Pronunciation spelling of -er (the colloquial clipping suffix).-er Macca, rugga

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