ic
Greekrelating to, of the nature of (adjective-forming suffix)
About This Root
From Greek -ikos, an adjective-forming suffix meaning 'relating to, of the nature of,' which passed through Latin -icus into nearly every layer of English. It turns nouns into adjectives (atom → atomic, hero → heroic, base → basic) and the expanded form -ical pairs with it (logic → logical). A handful of -ics nouns name fields of study or activity (physics, tactics, logistics). Because it attaches to roots from every language, the meaning of an -ic word lives in its root, not in the suffix.
Associated Words · 11
clinical
Relating to direct medical treatment of patients; coldly detached and analytical
automatic
Operating without human control; done without thinking
vertical
Pointing straight up or down; perpendicular to the horizontal
authenticity
The quality of being genuine and trustworthy
logistics
The planning and management of the supply and movement of goods or personnel
arithmetic
The branch of mathematics using basic number operations; relating to arithmetic
aromatic
Having a strong pleasant fragrance; a fragrant plant or compound
tyrannical
Cruel, oppressive, and unjust in the use of power
authenticate
To prove or confirm something is genuine or valid
patrician
A person of noble birth; aristocratic in manner or origin
tactics
Methods or plans used to achieve a goal, especially in military or competitive contexts