Spanish

Suffix

-ón m ‎(feminine -ona, plural -ones, feminine plural -onas)

1. emphasizes that something is large, grand, intense, important

   problemón - a big trouble (from problema)

2. indicates that someone or something has large attributes, or larger than usual

   cejón - having large eyebrows (from ceja)

   cabezón - having large head (from cabeza)

3. for few cases, indicates that something is used wrong or frequently (forming adjectives and or nouns)

   bocón - big-mouth, big-mouthed, boastful (from boca)

4. emphasizes contempt for subject
5. forms a noun from a different (usually larger) but related or similar one

   sillón - armchair (from silla, chair)

   cajón - drawer (from caja, box)

6. suffixed to verbs, doing something repeatedly or often

   llorón - something or someone that cries (from llorar)

   mirón - something or someone that watches (from mirar)

7. for very few cases, indicates small size of or a lack of something (such as an ironic augmentative)

   pelón - with little or no hair (from pelo)

   rabón - with little or no tail (from rabo)

   ratón - mouse (from rata, rat)

   tapón - cork, stopper, a "little cover or lid" (from tapa)

   montón - heap, pile, a "little mountain" (from monte); although its origin may be a comparison with a little mountain of something, it also means "big amount"

Usage notes

• The suffix produces adjectives or nouns.
• Some Spanish words ending with this suffix have neither a Latin nor a Greek etymology, but an Arabic one:
  • algodón, rincón, limón
• Many Spanish words end with "-on" (lacking of written accent, being always paroxytone), but most of those cases is an inflection for the third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes) preterite indicative form of a verb:
  • amaron, hablaron, corrieron, dijeron, etc.

See also

• -azo
• -oso
• -ote
• -udo

Etymology 2

From the ending of latinized terms of Ancient Greek words belonging to the Third Declension, applied in the Middle Modern Age to form scientific terms.

Suffix

-ón

1. (chemistry) ending of every chemical element belonging only to the noble gases group, except helium (in spanish helio)
   1. neón
   2. kriptón
   3. argón
   4. xenón
   5. radón
2. (nuclear physics) ending of most or every subatomic particle
   1. protón
   2. electrón
   3. neutrón
   4. bosón
   5. hadrón

Usage notes

• Aside from the group of noble gases, 1 element in the periodic table ends with "a" (plata), 1 with "c" (zinc), 2 with "e" (azufre, cobre), 1 with "l" (níquel), 1 with "r" (flúor), none with "ón" and the rest with "o"; boron = boro, carbon = carbono (carbón means charcoal), silicon = silicio