Dictionary.com

-oon

Save This Word!

a suffix occurring in words borrowed from French and other Romance languages (bassoon; balloon; dragoon; pontoon), and on this model occasionally used in the formation of new nouns in English (spittoon).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of -oon

As an English formative (e.g., in spittoon), extracted from words of various origins (buffoon, lagoon, etc.) but representing chiefly French -on in words stressed on the final syllable; compare Spanish -on,Italian -one,Latin -ōn-
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use -oon in a sentence

FEEDBACK