-torius
Latin
Alternative forms
Etymology
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈtoː.ri.ʊs]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈt̪ɔː.ri.us]
Suffix
-tōrius (feminine -tōria, neuter -tōrium); first/second-declension suffix
- -ory; used to form adjectives from verbs
- Synonym: -ārius
- mereō, merēre, meruī, meritum (“to deserve, earn, merit”) + -tōrius → meritōrius (“profitable”)
- texō, texere, texuī, textum (“to weave”) + -tōrius → textōrius (“of weaving”) — could also be derived from textor (“weaver”) with -ius
Usage notes
This suffix is one of many (including -tus, -tor, -tiō, -tim, -tō, -tūra) that all use the same verb stem as the supine, perfect passive participle, and/or future active participle, found in the verb's fourth principal part. This stem is conventionally considered to end in -t- (or for some verbs, -s-), which would imply analyzing the suffixes as -us, -or, -io, -im, etc. However, from an etymological perspective it is more accurate to identify -t-/-s- as the initial consonant of these suffixes.
- Most 1st conjugation verbs attach -t- after the theme vowel -ā-: e.g. amō, amātor, but a few form this principal part differently: e.g. secō > sectiō. Similarly, many 4th conjugation verbs use -ī-t-, but some use other formations, e.g. saliō > salto.
- 2nd conjugation verbs are less consistent. Many use -i-t- (moneō, monitor); some attach -t- after the final consonant of the root (doceō > doctor); a considerable number lack this principal part. Monosyllabic stems use -ē-t-: ex-pleō (stem plē-) > explētiō.
- Many 3rd conjugation verbs (and some 1st, 2nd and 4th) attach -t- directly after a consonant, which can cause complex changes. When -t- is placed after -t- or -d-, the consonants merge to -ss- (simplified to -s- if not preceded by short vowel): metō > messor, caedo > caesūra. Occasionally -s- is used after other consonants: curro > cursim, mergo > mersō. Before -t-, -b- -g- are regularly devoiced to -p- -c-: scrībō > scrīptor; frīgō > frīctus. The addition of -t- can be accompanied by various other changes, including vowel shortening, vowel lengthening, consonant insertion, or consonant deletion; see -tus for more information.
Note that in some cases, where the suffix -ius is added to an agent noun ending in -tor, the result may be difficult or impossible to distinguish from the addition of -tōrius.
Declension
First/second-declension adjective.
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| nominative | -tōrius | -tōria | -tōrium | -tōriī | -tōriae | -tōria | |
| genitive | -tōriī | -tōriae | -tōriī | -tōriōrum | -tōriārum | -tōriōrum | |
| dative | -tōriō | -tōriae | -tōriō | -tōriīs | |||
| accusative | -tōrium | -tōriam | -tōrium | -tōriōs | -tōriās | -tōria | |
| ablative | -tōriō | -tōriā | -tōriō | -tōriīs | |||
| vocative | -tōrie | -tōria | -tōrium | -tōriī | -tōriae | -tōria | |