-eius

See also: eius

Latin

Alternative forms

• -ejus, -eiius, -eijus (orthographic)

Etymology 1

By analogy with nomina gentilicia of Oscan or perhaps Etruscan origin, such as Pompeius (from 𐌐𐌖𐌌𐌐𐌄 (pumpe, “five”)), Tarpeius, Saufeius. Difficult to distinguish from Etymology 2. Gentilics ending in -eius may have originated from a Faliscan variant of this suffix, whereas -aius (as in Anaius, Popaius, Ulaius) may go back to Oscan, and -aeus (as in Annaeus) to Paelignian and Umbrian.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈei̯.i̯us/, [ˈɛi̯ːʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.jus/, [ˈɛːjus]
• Note: although the syllable is heavy due to the regularly geminate intervocalic /j/, the vowel is thought to have been short on etymological grounds.

Suffix

-eius (feminine -eia, neuter -eium); first/second-declension suffix

1. forms nomina gentilicia

   ‎Elatus → ‎Elateius

   ‎Proculus → ‎Proculeius

Usage notes

• This suffix was also used to form humorous words such as sterteia (“one who snores”) from stertō (“snore”) by Petronius and sterceia (“a maidservant who cleans the excrement of children”) from stercus (“dung, manure”) by Tertullian.

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	-eius	-eia	-eium		-eiī	-eiae	-eia
genitive	-eiī	-eiae	-eiī		-eiōrum	-eiārum	-eiōrum
dative	-eiō	-eiae	-eiō		-eiīs
accusative	-eium	-eiam	-eium		-eiōs	-eiās	-eia
ablative	-eiō	-eiā	-eiō		-eiīs
vocative	-ei	-eia	-eium		-eiī	-eiae	-eia

The Masculine Singular Vocative is monosyllabic.

Derived terms

• -uleius

Etymology 2

Derived adjectives from nouns and names with an -ē stem with the suffix -ius (such as plēbēius (“of the common people”) from plēbēs (“the common people”), an archaic form of plēbs). Difficult to distinguish from Etymology 1.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈeː.i̯us/, [ˈeːi̯ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.jus/, [ˈɛːjus]
• Note: the vowel is thought to have been long on etymological grounds.

Suffix

-ēius (feminine -ēia, neuter -ēium); first/second-declension suffix

1. forms adjectives from nouns and proper names

   ‎pāgus + ‎-ēius → ‎pāgēius

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	-ēius	-ēia	-ēium		-ēiī	-ēiae	-ēia
genitive	-ēiī	-ēiae	-ēiī		-ēiōrum	-ēiārum	-ēiōrum
dative	-ēiō	-ēiae	-ēiō		-ēiīs
accusative	-ēium	-ēiam	-ēium		-ēiōs	-ēiās	-ēia
ablative	-ēiō	-ēiā	-ēiō		-ēiīs
vocative	-ēie	-ēia	-ēium		-ēiī	-ēiae	-ēia

Etymology 3

From Ancient Greek adjectives in -ήϊος (-ḗïos), Epic form of Attic -εῖος (-eîos). Perhaps more properly considered a poetically variant scansion of the suffixes under Etymology 1 and 2, modelled on the corresponding situation in Greek.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈeː.i.us/, [ˈeːiʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.i.us/, [ˈɛːius]
• Note: this suffix is trisyllabic.

Suffix

-ēĭus (feminine -ēĭa, neuter -ēĭum); first/second-declension suffix

1. (literary, poetic) Forms adjectives, chiefly from Ancient Greek nouns, but occasionally from native ones as well

   ‎Ancient Greek φῠ́λλος (phúllos, “leaf”) → ‎Phyllēĭus (corresponding to Φῠλλήϊος (Phullḗïos))

   ‎Ancient Greek Πρῐ́ᾱπος (Príāpos) → ‎Priāpēĭus (corresponding to Πρῐᾱπήϊος (Priāpḗïos))

   ‎Tiberius → ‎Tiberēĭus

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	-ēĭus	-ēĭa	-ēĭum		-ēĭī	-ēĭae	-ēĭa
genitive	-ēĭī	-ēĭae	-ēĭī		-ēĭōrum	-ēĭārum	-ēĭōrum
dative	-ēĭō	-ēĭae	-ēĭō		-ēĭīs
accusative	-ēĭum	-ēĭam	-ēĭum		-ēĭōs	-ēĭās	-ēĭa
ablative	-ēĭō	-ēĭā	-ēĭō		-ēĭīs
vocative	-ēĭe	-ēĭa	-ēĭum		-ēĭī	-ēĭae	-ēĭa

See also

Latin terms suffixed with -eius