Morpheme
-ian
Type
suffix
Denotation
adjective suffix “pertaining to, characterized by, tending to” sometimes corresponding to -ia, -ium, -ius nouns
Etymology
(1) suffixal construction from -ia, -ius, -ium + -(a)n(e); (2) French -ien; Middle French -ien; Old French -ien; Latin -iānus, from -ānus; (3) Latin -iānus, from -ius + -ānus
Evidence
academician, aesthetician, artesian, Babylonian, bacchanalian, Bavarian, Berlinian, borelian, Canadian, Cartesian, chaotician, civilian, comedian, Dahlian, dialectician, electrician, equestrian, fabian, ferrian, Floridian, Gambian, germanian, guardian, historian, holmian, -iatrician, -ician, -idian, Indian, Iranian, isthmian, Jacobian, Jeffersonian, Jespersenian, kalian, labyrinthian, lanthanian, lithian, logician, Luciferian, lunarian, machaeridian, magnesian, mammalian, natrian, nicotinian, Nigerian, nomadian, Norwegian, Nubian, octopodian, omohyoidian, osmian, palladian, parkinsonian, Peorian, Persian, quinquennalian, reptilian, rhodian, robotian, rubidian, Russian, salamandrian, scientian, tactician, technician, terbian, theologian, therian, usherian, vauclusian, vespertilian, Virginian, vomerian, Washingtonian, woketopian, xiphoidian, yttrian, Yugoslavian, Zambian, Zambian, zephyrian
Notes
not the same as <-y + -an(e)>
