Derivatives with Suffix -ie
Most feminine compounds are actually derivatives of suffix –ie applied to a learned compound (noun or adjective) and thus enter the category of regular feminine derivatives ending in -ie.
-algie (pain) : névralgie, nostalgie ;
-archie (command) : hiérarchie, anarchie ;
-cratie (power) : démocratie, aristocratie ;
-chromie (color) : polychromie, trichromie ;
-émie (blood) : leucémie ;
-gamie (union) : bigamie, polygamie ;
-graphie (script) : graphie, géographie, sténographie ;
-lâtrie (adoration) : idolâtrie ;
-logie (science) : psychologie, technologie ;
-mancie (divination) : cartomancie, géomancie ;
-manie (passion) : manie, cleptomanie, toxicomanie ;
-métrie (measure) : géométrie, hydrométrie ;
-nomie (measure) : astronomie, économie ;
-pathie (affection) : homéopathie ; sympathie, télépathie ;
-pédie (education) : encyclopédie ;
-phonie (voice) : francophonie, symphonie ;
-philie (passion) : francophilie ;
-phobie (fear) : phobie, claustrophobie ;
-scopie (vision) : radioscopie, coloscopie ;
-technie (science) : pyrotechnie ;
-thermie (heat) : géothermie ;
-tomie (cut) : ovariectomie, vasectomie ;
Compounds based on a feminine noun/root
Some compounds have a noun or a root as final element which then motivates the gender.
-lyse f. (dissolution) : analyse, catalyse, dialyse ;
-thèque f. (box) : bibliothèque, discothèque, médiathèque,
-pole f. (city) : métropole, technopole, nécropole, mégapole;
(Has an homonym: -pole m. meaning “to sell” like in monopole)
-pause f. (cessation) : pause, ménopause, thermopause, mésopause
-strophe f. (strophe, trick) : strophe, apostrophe, catastrophe ;
-thèse f. (thesis, subject) : thèse, hypothèse, synthèse, prothèse;
-pée f. (création) : onomatopée
Note 1
The word orthographe, sole feminine case ending with –graphe (stylographe m., autographe m.) is in fact a double of orthographie (term of architecture) from latin orthographia f. Both nouns refer to a science and thus are feminine.
Note 2
Nouns ending in -sphère with a linkage -o- (Greek) are feminine following the gender of their base sphère f. which can be translated here by : layer, envelop of (gas, earth) or totality of
atmOsphère f. - gaseous envelope surrounding the earth
tropOsphère f. - lowest layer of the atmosphere
lithOsphère f. - crust and upper mantle of the earth
biOsphère f. - part of the earth's crust, waters, and atmosphere that supports life.
noOsphère f. - the biosphere including human activities
blogOsphère f. - collective term for the community of all weblogs
BUT hémisphère and planisphère are masculine. The two members are linked by an -i- (Latin). The base sphère takes here the meaning of GLOBE m. (not LAYER).
hémisphère m. - half of the Globe or the brain - from Latin hēmisphaerĭum, ĭi, n.
planisphère m. - flat representation of the Globe or the Sky
-phore Gr. : amphore, métaphore; phosphore, sémaphore, doryphore;
Copyright © Ginette Guillard-Chamart 2009. All rights reserved.