Portuguese

Suffix

-agem f ‎(plural -agens)

1. Forms uncountable nouns, from verbs, meaning the practice of doing what is expressed by the verb.

   reciclar ‎(“to recycle”) + ‎-agem → ‎reciclagem ‎(“recycling”)

   armazenar ‎(“to store”) + ‎-agem → ‎armazenagem ‎(“storage”)

2. Forms nouns, from verbs, meaning the an instance of doing what is expressed by the verb.

   lavar ‎(“to wash”) + ‎-agem → ‎lavagem ‎(“a wash”)

   filmar ‎(“to film”) + ‎-agem → ‎filmagem ‎(“an instance of filming”)

3. Forms nouns, from nouns expressing a type of person, meaning attitude or an act expected from that kind of person.

   picareta ‎(“fraudster”) + ‎-agem → ‎picaretagem ‎(“fraud”)

   caipira ‎(“hillbilly”) + ‎-agem → ‎caipiragem ‎(“attitude of a hillbilly”)

4. Forms nouns, from nouns, meaning a collection of things; -age.

   ferro ‎(“iron”) + ‎-agem → ‎ferragem ‎(“ironware”)

   árbitro ‎(“referee”) + ‎-agem → ‎arbitragem ‎(“referees and umpires who attend a match”)

5. Forms nouns for concepts related to the suffixed word.

   por cento ‎(“percent”) + ‎-agem → ‎porcentagem ‎(“percentage”)

   persona ‎(“persona”) + ‎-agem → ‎personagem ‎(“character”)

Synonyms

• (practice of doing something): -mento
• (act of doing something): -ção, -mento
• (attitude or act expected from someone): -ice, -ície, -ismo

Usage notes

• -agem also exists, not as a suffix, in words descending from a Latin word with -āginem (accusative singular of -āgō). For example: imagem, from imāginem.