-ory

-o·ry
/-(ə)ɹi/

suffix

Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form adjectives meaning “of”, “pertaining to”, or “serving for”.

“sense + -ory → sensory”

Similar
-al-ar-ary-ese-ic-id-ish-like
OriginMiddle English -orie →
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Meanings

-ory1

suffix-ory (adjective-forming suffix, not comparable)
  1. not comparableAdded to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form adjectives meaning “of”, “pertaining to”, or “serving for”.

    sense + -ory → sensory

    2 more examples

    excrete + -ory → excretory

    statute + -ory → statutory

    Synonyms: -al, -ar, -ary, -ese, -ic, -id, -ish, -like

-ory2

suffix-ory (noun-forming suffix, plural -ories)

plural -ories

  1. Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form nouns meaning “that which pertains to or serves for”.

    incense + -ory → incensory

    2 more examples

    ambulate + -ory → ambulatory

    interrogate + -ory → interrogatory

    Synonyms: -age, -al, -arium, -drome, -ery, -ium, -orium

Synonyms & antonyms

suffixAdded to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form adjectives meaning “of”, “pertaining to”, or “serving for”.

Similar
-al-ar-ary-ese-ic-id-ish-like-oid-ous-y

suffixAdded to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form nouns meaning “that which pertains to or serves for”.

Similar
-age-al-arium-drome-ery-ium-orium
Also see
-ar-ary-id

Origin

-ory · suffix

  1. Middle English-orie
  2. English-ory

From Middle English -orie, from the Latin adjective suffix -tōrius. By surface analysis, -or + -y.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

-ory · suffix

  1. Latin-tōrium
  2. Latin-tōrium
  3. English-ory

From the Latin noun suffix -tōrium. By surface analysis, -or + -y.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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