-ence

noun suffix

1
: action or process
emergence
: instance of an action or process
reference
2
: quality or state
despondence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin -entia, from -ent-, -ens, present participle ending + -ia -y entry 2

Dictionary Entries Near -ence

encave

-ence

enceinte

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“-ence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/-ence. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

-ence

noun suffix
ən(t)s,
ᵊn(t)s
1
: action or process
emergence
: instance of an action or process
reference
2
: quality or state
existence
Etymology

derived from Latin -entia "action or process"

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