French

Suffix

-oire

1. A suffix used on verbs to form usually feminine words for objects or tools used to do something.

   balançoire (balancer) — playground swing

   bouilloire (bouillir) — teakettle

2. A suffix used on verbs (usually via the Latin supine form) to form masculine or feminine words for places where something is done.

   laboratoire (Latin laborare) — laboratory

   observatoire (observer) — observatory

3. A suffix used to form adjectives matched to nouns ending in -ation (or its variants) and derived from a Latin verb.

   hallucinatoire (hallucination) — hallucinatory

   giratoire (giration) — gyratory, roundabout

Derived terms

• category:French words suffixed with -oire

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -oria.

Suffix

-oire

1. indicates a tool or a device

Descendants

• English: -ory (in some cases)
• French: -oire
• Norman: -ouaithe