-ite1
/ʌɪt/suffix
1Forming names denoting natives of a country: Israelite
1.1often derogatory Denoting followers of a movement, doctrine, etc. Luddite Thatcherite
2Used in scientific and technical terms:
2.1Forming names of fossil organisms: ammonite
2.2Forming names of minerals: graphite
2.3Forming names of constituent parts of a body or organ: somite
2.4Forming names of explosives and other commercial products: dynamite vulcanite
2.5 Chemistry Forming names of salts or esters of acids ending in -ous: sulphite
Origin
From French -ite, via Latin -ita from Greek ītes.
-ite2
/ʌɪt/ /ɪt/suffix
1Forming adjectives such as composite, erudite.
2Forming nouns such as appetite.
3Forming verbs such as unite.
Origin
From Latin -itus, past participle of verbs ending in -ere and -ire.