-liche
Middle English
suffix
Definitions
- Used to form adjectives from nouns, the adjectives having the sense of "like or characteristic of what is denoted by the noun".
- Appended to adjectives in order to render meaning of the adjective either more intense or more approximate.
- Used to form adverbs from adjectives, and nouns; the adverbs having the sense of "in the manner of what is denoted by the adjective/noun".
- Optionally appended to adverbs without suffixes with no change to the meaning.
Etymology
Inherited from Old English -līc inherited from Proto-Germanic *-līkaz (having the body form of, -like, shaped).
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*-līkaz
Gloss
having the body form of, -like, shaped