-rrhoeic-rrheiccomb. form
Primary stress is attracted to the first syllable of this combining form and vowels may be reduced accordingly; see e.g.
oligomenorrhoeic adj.Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: -rrhoea comb. form, -ic suffix.
Etymology: < -rrhoea comb. form + -ic suffix.Apparently occurring only in adjectives corresponding to earlier nouns in -rrhoea comb. form, although the form of these adjectives suggests the existence of a common formative element rather than independent formation < the corresponding noun + -ic suffix in each case. In form -rrhoic after ancient Greek -ρροϊκός (in e.g. αἱμορροϊκός indicating or causing a discharge of blood). R. G. Mayne ( Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. (1860)) favours forms in -rrhoic ; he also records Latin forms in -rrhoïcus , as e.g. leucorrhoïcus , otorrhoïcus . First recorded in the early 19th cent. in leucorrhoic adj. at leucorrhœa n. Derivatives, probably after French. Compare French -rrhéique (formations in which are found from at least the early 19th cent.), -rrhoïque (formations in which are found from at least the late 19th cent.), German -rrhoisch.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
comb. form