-some
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English -som, -sum, from Old English -sum (“same as; -some”), from Proto-West Germanic *-sam, from Proto-Germanic *-samaz, from Proto-Germanic *samaz (“same”). Akin to Saterland Frisian -soam (“-some”), West Frisian -sum (“-some”), Dutch -zaam (“-some”), German Low German -saam (“-some”), German -sam (“-some”), Danish -som, Swedish -sam, Icelandic -samur (“-some”), Gothic -𐍃𐌰𐌼𐍃 (-sams), -𐍃𐌰𐌼𐌰 (-sama). Cognate with Albanian -shëm (“-some”). More at same.
Pronunciation
- enPR: səm, IPA(key): /səm/
- Hyphenation: some
Suffix
-some
- (forms adjectives from nouns or adjectives) Characterized by some specific condition or quality, usually to a considerable degree.
- 2012, Tom Sandham, World's Best Cocktails:
- Elsewhere the blingsome silver-beveled mirrors, butterfly and lotus blossom motifs, and the occasional chaise longue make the opulence a touch on the show-off side for me, but the expenses were obviously 5-star and it's undoubtedly bespoke.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Middle English -som, from a specialized use of Old English sum (“some, one”) coming after a genitive plural (e.g. hē wæs fēowertiga sum --"he was one of forty", literally "he was forties' some[one]"; sixa sum --"one of six, sixsome").
Pronunciation
- enPR: səm, IPA(key): /səm/
- Hyphenation: some
Suffix
-some
- (forms nouns from numerals) Denoting a group with a certain small number of members.
Derived terms
Etymology 3
From Ancient Greek σῶμα (sôma, “body”).
Pronunciation
- enPR: sōm, IPA(key): /soʊm/
- Hyphenation: some
Derived terms
See also
Etymology 4
From previous sense “body” (from Ancient Greek σῶμα (sôma, “body”)), by analogy with chromosome.
Pronunciation
- enPR: sōm, IPA(key): /soʊm/
- Hyphenation: some
Etymology 5
From some in its "approximately" sense; more at some § Etymology.
Pronunciation
- enPR: səm, IPA(key): /səm/
- Hyphenation: some
Suffix
-some
- Plus some indeterminate fraction not amounting to the next higher round number or significant digit; and change; -odd.
- twenty-some identifiable factors affecting the outcome
- one-hundred-and-fifty-some spectators in the bleachers
Derived terms
Scots
Etymology 1
From Middle English -som, -sum, from Old English -sum (“same as; -some”), from Proto-Germanic *-samaz, from Proto-Germanic *samaz (“same”).
Suffix
-some
- (forms adjectives from nouns or adjectives) With nouns and verbs in an active and passive sense, implying “inclined to, full of, causing or caused by”.
Etymology 2
From Middle English -som, from a specialized use of Old English sum (“some, one”) coming after a genitive plural.
Suffix
-some
- (forms nouns from numerals) As a suffix after cardinal numbers to denote a group, company, team, etc. of that number together or thought of as a unit.
References
- “-some, suff.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.