The Key to Scientific Names

Conventions

To avoid some repetition on the site, the following suffixes, endings, terminations and grammatical standards referring to dedication, location, comparison, inception, relation and possession should be taken as read where necessary.

–aceus (M.), –acea (F.), –aceum (N.), pertaining to, having the nature of (L.)

–acus, –aca, –acum, belonging to, pertaining to (L./Gr.)

–ae, –arum, commemorating (dedication, eponym); geographic (location, toponym) (L.)

–alis, –ale, pertaining to, having the nature of (L.)

–anus, –ana, –anum, geographic (location, toponym); belonging to, pertaining to (L.)

–arius, –aria, –arium, pertaining to, connected with, having the nature of; one who (L.)

–atus, –ata, –atum, provided with, pertaining to (L.)

–ellus, –ella, –ellum, diminutive (comparison); somewhat (adj.) (L.)

–ensis, –ense, geographic, occurrence in (location, toponym) (L.)

–enus, –ena, –enum, relating to, formation from (L.)

–escens, becoming, somewhat (L.)

–eus, –ea, –eum, made of, having the quality of (L.)

-i, commemorating (dedication, eponym) (L.)

–icus, –ica, –icum¸ belonging to, pertaining to (L./Gr.)

–idion, diminutive (comparison) (Gr.)

–idius, –idia, –idium, diminutive (comparison) (L. (from Gr.))

–ii, commemorating (dedication, eponym) (L.)

–illus, –illa, –illum, diminutive (comparison); somewhat (adj.) (L.)

–inus, –ina, –inum, belonging to, pertaining to; one who (L.)

–iscus, –isca, –iscum, diminutive (comparison) (L./Gr.)

–ister, –istes, –istis, –istor, –istria, agent, one who (Gr.)

–ites, agent, one who (Gr.)

–ius, –ia, –ium, diminutive (comparison); having the nature of; commemorating

(dedication, eponym) (L./Gr.)

–oides, resembling (Gr. from eidos appearance, shape, species)

–olus, –ola, –olum, diminutive (comparison); somewhat (adj.) (L.)

–oma, formation from, relating to (Gr.)

–orius, –oria, –orium, pertaining to, having the nature of (L.)

–osus, abundance, fullness, richness, quality of (L.)

–otes, agent, one who (Gr.)

–ter, –tes, –tis, –tor, –tria, agent, one who (Gr.)

–ulus, –ula, –ulum, diminutive (comparison); somewhat (adj.) (L.)

–unus, –una, –unum, belonging to, pertaining to (L.)