| 释义 |
▪ I. -i, suffix1
the plural ending of Lat. 2nd decl. nouns in -us (-er), also of Ital. words in -o, -e, retained in English in the plurals of some words in learned or scientific use, as cirri, foci, radii, banditti, dilettanti, literati. In some words a learned or technical pl. in -i and a popular one in -uses are both in use, e.g. foci, focuses, hippopotami, hippopotamuses.
It is also frequent (without a singular) in mod.L. names of orders or other groups in Natural History, as Acanthopterygii, Chondropterygii (sc. pisces, fishes), Acrocarpi, Cladocarpi (sc. musci, mosses).
▪ II. -i, suffix2
a termination used in the names of certain Near-Eastern and Eastern peoples, as Iraqi, Israeli, Pakistani. |