-aio

== Italian == === Alternative forms === -aro (chiefly central Italy) -aglio (Romanesco, hypercorrect, sometimes humorous) === Etymology === From Latin -ārius. Compare the borrowed doublet -ario, as well as -iere, borrowed from (Old) French. Example: Italian operaio, from Latin operārius. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈa.jo/ Rhymes: -ajo Hyphenation: -à‧io === Suffix === -aio m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ai, feminine -aia, feminine plural -aie) added to nouns to form agent nouns ‎forno (“oven”) + ‎-aio → ‎fornaio (“baker”) ‎pecora (“sheep”) + ‎-aio → ‎pecoraio (“shepherd”) ‎macello (“slaughterhouse”) + ‎-aio → ‎macellaio (“butcher”) added to nouns to form nouns of mass or collection ‎formica (“ant”) + ‎-aio → ‎formicaio (“anthill”) ‎ghiaccio (“ice”) + ‎-aio → ‎ghiacciaio (“iceberg”) ‎letame (“dung”) + ‎-aio → ‎letamaio (“dunghill”) ==== Derived terms ==== === See also === -ario