English

Suffix

-ant

1. (now sciences, chiefly medicine) The agent noun derived from verb.
   • serve → servant
2. An adjective corresponding to a noun in -ance.
   • defiance → defiant.
3. (uncommon) An adjective derived from a verb.
   • err → errant.
4. Alternative form of -and

   blatant, blicant; flippant

Usage notes

• Many words in -ant were not actually coined in English and rather borrowed directly from Old French, Middle French or Modern French.

Related terms

• -ance

Derived terms

Dutch

Pronunciation

Suffix

-ant m ‎(plural -anten, feminine -ante)

1. appended to the stem of a verb, it yields a noun which signifies the subject who performs the action of that verb (see agent noun)

Derived terms

French

Etymology

From Old French -ant, from Latin -āns, -āntem, -ēns, -entem. Compare Italian -ante, -ente, Spanish -ante, -ente, -iente.

Suffix

-ant

1. -ing; suffix denoting the present participle of a verb

   jouer (to play) → jouant (playing)

2. (rare) A suffix deriving adjectives from words other than verbs.

   abracadabra → abracadabrant

3. Used to form nouns and adjectives out of verbs.

Related terms

• -ance

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɒnt]

Suffix

-ant

1. (instantaneous suffix) Added to a stem - often an onomatopoeia - to form a verb expressing an instantaneous action.

   pillant ‎(“to glance”)

Usage notes

• (instantaneous suffix) Harmonic variants:

  -ant is added to back vowel words

  -ent is added to front vowel words

Derived terms

See also

• -int
• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ant/

Suffix

-ant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of -ō

Middle French

Suffix

-ant

1. used to form the present participle of verbs

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -āns, -āntem, -ēns, -entem.

Suffix

-ant

1. used to form the present participle of verbs

Related terms

• -ance/-anche

Descendants

• English: -ant
• French: -ant