Morpheme
-ean
Type
suffix
Denotation
adjective suffix “pertaining to, characterized by, tending to” corresponding to -ea, -eae, and -aea nouns
Etymology
suffixal construction from (1) (a)ea + -an(e) and (2) -eae + -an(e)
Evidence
Acerean, Aegean, Citrean, cochlean, Iridean, Lactucean, Nicaean, Orchidean, Rubean, trachean
Notes
unanalyzable
also spelled -aean and -æan but only Nicaean consistently maintains the -aean spelling
