-gamouscomb. form
Primary stress is attracted to the syllable immediately preceding this combining form and vowels may be reduced accordingly.
Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Partly a borrowing from Greek, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin -gamus , -ous suffix; Greek -γαμος , -ous suffix.
Etymology: < post-classical Latin -gamus (in e.g. monogamus (see monogamous adj.), polygamus (see polygamous adj.)) and its etymon ancient Greek -γαμος, combining form (in e.g. τρίγαμος : see trigamous adj.) of γάμος marriage (see -gam comb. form) + -ous suffix. Compare Middle French, French -game (in e.g. monogame (see monogamous adj.), polygame (polygamous adj.)). Compare -gamy comb. form and (in sense 2) -gam comb. form.Found in occasional borrowings and adaptations of words from Latin and French from the 16th cent. onwards, e.g. polygamous adj., bigamous adj., monogamous adj. New formations within English are found from the late 18th cent., apparently earliest (in sense 2) in cryptogamous adj., and become more common (chiefly in sense 2) in the 19th cent., e.g. phaenogamous adj., autogamous adj., mixogamous adj., allogamous adj. Combining with first elements ultimately of Greek origin.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
comb. form