-ule

suffix forming diminutive nouns (capsule; globule).
Etymology: from or after L - ulus, -ula, -ulum

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\\ˌyül\ noun suffix (-s)

Etymology: F&Latin; French -ule, from Latin -ulus, masculine diminutive suffix, -ula, feminine diminutive suffix, -ulum neuter diminutive suffix

: small one

cymule

veinule

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a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, originally diminutive nouns (capsule; globule; nodule) or noun derivatives of verbs (ligule).

[ < F < L -ulus, -ula, -ulum dim. formative with nouns of the 1st and 2d declensions \<\< *-el- (cf. -CLE¹, -ELLE, -OLE¹); the deverbal suffix -ulus, etc. (cf. CINGULUM, TUMULUS) is of distinct orig.]

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-ule /-ūl/

n sfx

Indicating a diminutive form, as in globule, module

ORIGIN: L -ulus

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-ule,

suffix. small; little, as in »

ferule, granule, veinule.

╂[< Old French -ule, learned borrowing from Latin -ulus, -ula, -ulum, a diminutive suffix]

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suffix forming diminutive nouns such as capsule and pustule

Origin:

from Latin -ulus, -ula, -ulum

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-ule, suffix

representing the Latin diminutive ending -ulus, -ula, -ulum (whence also F. -ule, Sp. and Pg. -ulo, -ula, It. -ulo, -ula, -olo, -ola), as in globulus globule, glandula glandule, grānulum granule. Among words now current with this ending a certain number correspond to actual Latin forms, as capsule, cellule, ferule, macule, nodule, pustule, spherule, valvule; others are of modern formation, as anguillule. Only a few of these were in use before the 17th century. Some examples, as angule, circule, scrupule, failed to establish themselves against the earlier forms of French origin in -le; others, as formule, have given way to the purely Latin form. In some cases both forms exist in scientific use, as ligule and ligula, macule and macula, valvule and valvula; in some the Latin form is commonly or exclusively employed, as lingula, tabula.