Esperanto

Suffix

-ujo

1. something filled with, a container or box for, e.g. inko ‎(“ink”) → inkujo ‎(“inkpot”).
2. (only official) a country inhabited by, or associated with, an ethnic group, e.g. turko ‎(“Turk”) → Turkujo ‎(“Turkey”).
3. (obsolete) a tree bearing a fruit, e.g. pomo ‎(“apple”) → pomujo ‎(“apple tree”).

Usage notes

The suffixes -ujo and -ingo signify different kinds of containers: An -ingo can contain only a single object or part of an object, such as a glavingo ‎(“scabbard”) (the entire sword isn't inside the holder for example, and it can only hold one sword), plumingo ‎(“pen holder”), kandelingo ‎(“a candlestick”), or fingringo ‎(“a thimble”). An -ujo is a container for multiple objects, generally something you replenish or keep in quantity, and it usually contains things in their entirety, such as a cigarujo ‎(“cigar box”) or sukerujo ‎(“sugar bowl”).

-ujo is almost never used for names of fruit trees outside of early Esperanto writings. This archaic usage comes directly from the Fundamento de Esperanto, but has been nearly entirely supplanted by compounds ending in arbo ‎(“tree”) or arbusto ‎(“bush”), such as pomarbo ‎(“apple tree”).

Some countries in Europe and Asia have Esperanto names using -ujo. These names, though less used, are still the sole official forms.

Derived terms

Descendants

• Ido: -uyo

References

1. ↑ Floriano Pessoa, 2005, Etimologio: Skizo pri la deveno de la vortoj de Esperanto