-ics

suffix (treated as sing. or pl.) forming nouns denoting arts or sciences or branches of study or action (athletics; politics) (cf. -IC 3).
Etymology: from or after F pl. -iques or L pl. -ica or Gk pl. -ika

* * *

\(ˌ)iks, _ēks\ noun plural suffix but singular or plural in construction

Etymology: -ic (as in arithmetic) + -s; after Greek plural nouns ending in -ika, as mathēmatika mathematics

1. usually singular in construction : study : knowledge : skill : practice

optics

linguistics

pediatrics

homiletics

2. usually singular in construction : systematic formulation : treatise

economics

politics

3. usually plural in construction : characteristic actions or activities

heroics

hysterics

gymnastics

4. usually plural in construction : characteristic qualities, operations, or phenomena

acoustics

mechanics

phonetics

* * *

a suffix of nouns that denote a body of facts, knowledge, principles, etc., usually corresponding to adjectives ending in -ic or -ical: ethics; physics; politics; tactics.

[pl. of -IC, repr. L -ica ( < Gk -ika, neut. pl. of -ikos), as in rhetórica (pl.) rhetoric book]

Usage. Nouns ending in -ICS that name fields of study, sciences, arts, professions, or the like are usually not preceded by an article and are used with a singular verb: Acoustics (the science) deals with sound. Politics (the art of government) fascinates me. In certain uses, often when preceded by a determiner like the, his, her, or their, most of these nouns can take a plural verb: The acoustics (the sound-reflecting qualities) of the hall are splendid. Their politics (political opinions) have antagonized everyone.

* * *

-ics /-iks/

n sfx

1. Denoting: (1) the study, practice, art or knowledge of a particular subject or type of activity, as in aeronautics, paediatrics, gymnastics, politics

2. (2) the procedures, functions or phenomena involved in, or relating to, a specific activity, as in mechanics, acoustics, graphics

3. (3) the actions, behaviour, etc characteristic of a particular state or condition, as in hysterics, histrionics

ORIGIN: Gr -ika, neuter pl adj ending

* * *

-ics,

suffix.

1. a body of facts or principles; a system of thought; a science or field of study, as in optics, aesthetics, metaphysics, genetics.

2. a system or a method of action; art or practice, as in tactics, gymnastics, geodetics, ceramics.

╂[originally plural of -ic < Latin -ica < Greek -iká, neuter plural, matters having to do with]

I.C.S.,

1. British. Indian Civil Service.

2. U.S. International Correspondence School.

* * *

suffix (forming nouns) denoting arts or sciences, branches of study, or profession

classics | politics

Origin:

from French -iques, Latin -ica, or Greek -ika, plural forms

••

Usage

A noun ending in -ics meaning ‘a subject of study or branch of knowledge’ will usually take a singular rather than a plural verb: politics is a blood sport classics is hardly studied at all these days. However, the same word may take a plural verb in cases where the sense is plural: many of the classics were once regarded with disdain

* * *

/ıks/ noun suffix

1 : study : knowledge

electronics

linguistics

2 : characteristic actions or activities

heroics

athletics

acrobatics

gymnastics

* * *

-ics suffix

(in nouns) the science, art or activity of

•

physics

•

dramatics

•

athletics

 

Word Origin:

[-ics] from French -iques, Latin -ica, or Greek -ika, plural forms.

* * *

-ics

suffix: see -ic 2.