Frequentative is a term from grammar, one that I only learned about a couple of days ago while watching the Words Unravelled podcast. A frequentative is a word formed by appending the suffix -le or -er to a verb or noun to express the idea of a repeated action. Here are some examples with -le
spark -> sparkle
prick -> prickle
game -> gamble
daze -> dazzle
crumb -> crumble
fizz -> fizzle
scud -> scuttle
twink (same as wink) -> twinkle
wag-> waggle
This suffix derives from an old Germanic suffix with a similar meaning.
Here are some examples with -er. These are less clear cut sometimes, because the suffix can have other senses.
gleam -> glimmer
slide -> slither
flit -> flitter
The word frequentative sounded fairly modern to me, but in fact it is recorded in the grammatical sense as early as 1534, in Nicholas Udall's Floures for Latine spekynge selected and gathered oute of Terence
What are frequentatives?
Frequentative is a term from grammar, one that I only learned about a couple of days ago while watching the Words Unravelled podcast. A frequentative is a word formed by appending the suffix -le or -er to a verb or noun to express the idea of a repeated action. Here are some examples with -le
spark -> sparkle
prick -> prickle
game -> gamble
daze -> dazzle
crumb -> crumble
fizz -> fizzle
scud -> scuttle
twink (same as wink) -> twinkle
wag-> waggle
This suffix derives from an old Germanic suffix with a similar meaning.
Here are some examples with -er. These are less clear cut sometimes, because the suffix can have other senses.
gleam -> glimmer
slide -> slither
flit -> flitter
The word frequentative sounded fairly modern to me, but in fact it is recorded in the grammatical sense as early as 1534, in Nicholas Udall's Floures for Latine spekynge selected and gathered oute of Terence