-le

/əl//l̩/

suffix

A frequentative suffix of verbs, indicating repetition or continuousness

“hose + -le → hosel”

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-kin
OriginMiddle English -len ← Old English -lian ← Proto-West Germanic *-lōn →
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Meanings

-le1

suffix

alternative -el

  1. A frequentative suffix of verbs, indicating repetition or continuousness
    1 more example

    assle, buzzle, crackle, cuddle, dazzle, draggle, drawl, dribble, drizzle, fumble, gamble, grapple, handle, jostle, kissle, maddle, mingle, nestle, nuzzle, prattle, quibble, ramble, rattle, ripple, scribble, sile, sizzle, sniffle, snuggle, startle, stopple, suckle, tattle, tickle, topple, waggle, whemmle, wiggle, wrestle

-le2

suffix

alternative -el

  1. Forming adjectives from verbs with the meaning of "prone to", "tending to", "apt to", "capable of"; compare -ative

    battle, breakle, brittle, fickle, forgettle, little, newfangle, nimble, wankle

-le3

suffix

alternative -el

  1. Forming diminutives from other nouns.

    hose + -le → hosel

    5 more examples

    dump + -le → dimple

    dung + -le → dingle

    hatch + -le → hatchel

    howf + -le → hovel

    gome + -le → gomeral

    Synonyms: -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -ette, -icle, -ie, -kin

  2. Forming agent nouns from verbs

    beadle, beetle, bridle, bundle, cripple, fettle, girdle, ladle, losel, runnel, shovel, spindle, spittle, steeple, stile, stopple, thimble, tool, towel, trundle

Synonyms & antonyms

suffixForming diminutives from other nouns.

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-kin-let-ling-ole-ule-ymini-micro-nano-
Also see
-cule-ee-el-er-et-ette-icle-ie-kin-let-lingmicro-mini-nano--ole-ule-y

Origin

-le · suffix

  1. Proto-Germanic*-lōną
  2. Proto-West Germanic*-lōn
  3. Old English-lian
  4. Middle English-len
  5. English-le

From Middle English -len, -elen, from Old English -lian (frequentative verbal suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-lōn, from Proto-Germanic *-lōną (frequentative verbal suffix). Cognate with West Frisian -elje, Dutch -elen, German -eln, Danish -le, Norwegian Bokmål -le, Norwegian Nynorsk -la, Swedish -la, Icelandic -la. Compare -er.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

-le · suffix

  1. Proto-Germanic*-ulaz
  2. Old English-el
  3. Middle English-el
  4. English-le

From Middle English -el, -le (adjectival), from Old English -el, -ol, from Proto-Germanic *-ulaz and *-ilaz (adjective suffixes). Cognate with West Frisian -el, Dutch -el, Low German -el, German -el, Icelandic -ill.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

-le · suffix

  1. Proto-Germanic*-ilaz
  2. Old English-el
  3. Proto-Germanic*-ilaz
  4. Old English-el
  5. Middle English-el
  6. English-le

From Middle English -el (agent suffix), from a combination of two suffixes: * Old English -el, -il (diminutive suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (diminutive suffix). * Old English -el, -ol, -ul (agent suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (agent suffix). Cognate with West Frisian -el, Dutch -el, Low German -el, German -el.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish -ella, -skella
  • -ellafrequentative suffix
  • -skellafrequentative suffix
Polish -wać
  • -waćfrequentative suffix
Portuguese -ejar
  • -ejarfrequentative suffix
Spanish -ear
  • -earfrequentative suffix
Swedish -la
  • -lafrequentative suffix
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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