Where does "-eel" suffix come from in "genteel"?
Hi all, happy new year! Quick question about this suffix -eel:
I can see that genteel comes from Latin gentil, but how did that become -eel and what is it's meaning? Thanks!
Top answer
Shay Singh I can see that genteel comes from Latin gentil No, it doesn't. It came straight in from the French gentil , "gentle". The French came from Latin.
- Shay Singh I can see that genteel comes from Latin gentil No, it doesn't.
- It came straight in from the French gentil , "gentle".
- The French came from Latin.
- Shay Singh but how did that become -eel It is a mere matter of spelling.
- The vagaries of English spelling are the study of a lifetime.
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Shay Singh
I can see that genteel comes from Latin gentil
No, it doesn't. It came straight in from the French gentil, "gentle". The French came from Latin.
Shay Singh
but how did that become -eel
It is a mere matter of spelling. The vagaries of English spelling are the study of a lifetime. It's not something you can dabble in.
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