释义 |
-form|fɔːm| repr. F. -forme, L. -formis, f. forma form n., a termination used to form adjs. (1) with the sense ‘having the form of’ (what is denoted by the Lat. n.), as in cruciform, cuneiform, filiform; (2) referring to number of forms, as diversiform, multiform, uniform. The former class includes many words of recent origin used in natural science, esp. in Botany, as acinaciform, calathiform, corolliform, fusiform, vermiform; new words of this type are still frequently formed. The termination is always preceded by -i-, either representing the Lat. stem-vowel or its weakened form in combination, or inserted after consonant stems. By some this i has been ignorantly supposed to be the genitive ending; hence such misspellings as fabæform, tabulæform. |