-ical

/ɪkəl/

suffix

Used to form adjectives from nouns with the meaning "of or pertaining to"; adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to make an adjective form. Often added to words of Greek or Latin origin, but used with other words also.

“mythical, quizzical, theistical, whimsical”

OriginProto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? →
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Meanings

suffix-ical (adjective-forming suffix, comparative more -ical, superlative most -ical)

comparative more -ical · superlative most -ical

  1. Used to form adjectives from nouns with the meaning "of or pertaining to"; adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to make an adjective form. Often added to words of Greek or Latin origin, but used with other words also.

    mythical, quizzical, theistical, whimsical

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  3. English-ical

From Middle English -ical, a combination of -ic from Old French -ique, from Latin -icus, related to Ancient Greek suffix Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós), plus -al from Latin adjective suffix -alis, or Old French -el. By surface analysis, -ic + -al.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-ical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ical

MLA

“-ical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ical. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ical,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ical.

Source: -ical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.