-ence

noun suffix

1
: action or process
emergence
: instance of an action or process
reference
2
: quality or state
despondence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin -entia, from -ent-, -ens, present participle ending + -ia -y entry 2

Dictionary Entries Near -ence

Cite this Entry

“-ence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/-ence. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

-ence

noun suffix
ən(t)s,
ᵊn(t)s
1
: action or process
emergence
: instance of an action or process
reference
2
: quality or state
existence
Etymology

derived from Latin -entia "action or process"

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!