-cle

The suffix -cle has two distinct senses.

The first of these senses is to denote a diminutive noun, meaning to indicate something small in size or importance. It is also used in other French loanwords from Latin. This form of -cle is occasionally used in a variety of everyday and technical terms. The suffix -cle comes from the Latin endings -culus (masculine), -cula (feminine), and -culum (neuter), which originally designated diminutive nouns.

The second of these senses is in words borrowed from Latin where it formed verb nouns that denoted a place appropriate to the action of the verb or means by which the action is performed. The suffix -cle comes from Latin -cula and -culum by way of French or Old French.

What are variants of -cle?

A variant of -cle in both senses of the suffix is -cule, as in molecule or ridicule. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on -cule.

One example of an everyday term that uses the suffix -cle is particle, “a minute portion, piece, fragment, or amount; a tiny or very small bit.”

The part- part of the word means “portion” or “piece.” The suffix -cle means “small” and denotes a diminutive. Particle literally translates to “small part.”

What are some words that use the combining form -cle?

• article
• conventicle
• corpuscle (using the equivalent form of -cle in Latin)
• muscle (using the equivalent form of -cle in Latin)
• vernicle

What are some other forms that -cle may be commonly confused with?

• -cele
• -coel
• -ule

Not every word that ends with the exact letters -cle, such as treacle or icicle, is necessarily using the suffix -cle to denote “diminutive” or “place where verb or action is performed.” Learn why treacle means “sentimental” at our entry for the word.

The combining form arti- means “joint.” With this in mind, what does article literally translate to?