-lig

See also: lig

Danish

Etymology

From Old Danish -likær, -lik, from Old Norse -ligr (“-y, -ly, -like”), from Proto-Germanic *-līkaz (“-like, -ly”), from *līką (“body; corpse, dead body”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“similar, like; image, likeness”). Cognate with English -ly and German -lich

Suffix

-lig

Forms adjectives from verbs, having the sense of "may be the object of"; -able.
Forms adjectives from nouns, having the sense of "possessing characteristics of"; -ous, -ly, -like.
Forms adjectives from nouns, having the sense of "occurring at such intervals"; -ly.
‎dag + ‎-lig → ‎daglig

‎år + ‎-lig → ‎årlig

Inflection

Inflection of *-lig*
	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	-lig	-ligere	-ligest²
indefinite neuter singular	-ligt	-ligere	-ligest²
plural	-lige	-ligere	-ligest²
definite attributive¹	-lige	-ligere	-ligeste

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Derived terms

Danish terms suffixed with -lig

References

“-lig” in Den Danske Ordbog

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-lɪ/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -lɪ
Hyphenation: -lig

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Norse -ligr (“-like, having the form or nature of”), from Proto-Germanic *-līkaz (“having the body or form of; -like”), from Proto-Germanic *līką (“body, form”). Its form and use were influenced by Middle Low German -līk (“-like”).

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk -leg, Danish -lig, Swedish -lig, Icelandic -legur, Faroese -ligur, Dutch -lijk, German -lich and English -ly (“adjective-forming suffix”).

Suffix

-lig (neuter singular -lig, definite singular and plural -lige, comparative -ligere, indefinite superlative -ligst, definite superlative -ligste)

Used to form adjectives from nouns, meaning “resembling, characterized by, belonging to, or relating to” what the noun denotes.
sak (“matter, case”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → saklig (“objective, factual”)
Used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating something which occurs repeatedly at a specified interval.
dag (“day”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → daglig (“daily”)
Used to form adjectives from other adjectives, meaning “having, showing, or tending towards” the specified quality, sometimes in a weakened or modified degree.
rød (“red”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → rødlig (“reddish”)
Used to form adjectives from verbs.
1. With an active meaning: acting, functioning, or tending to act in the specified way.
  skade (“to harm”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → skadelig (“harmful”)
2. With a passive or potential meaning: able, suitable, or liable to undergo the specified action.
  lese (“to read”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → leselig (“readable, legible”)
Used to form adjectives from adverbs, especially adjectives indicating direction, position, or relation.
øst (“east”) +‎ -lig (“adjective-forming suffix”) → østlig (“eastern”)

Derived terms

alvorlig (“serious”)
barnslig (“childish”)
daglig (“daily”)
folkelig (“popular; folksy”)
forståelig (“understandable”)
grønnlig (“greenish”)
kirkelig (“ecclesiastical”)
kongelig (“royal”)
kroppslig (“bodily, physical”)
kvinnelig (“female, feminine”)
leselig (“readable, legible”)
månedlig (“monthly”)
nordlig (“northern”)
renslig (“clean, cleanly”)
rødlig (“reddish”)
saklig (“objective, factual”)
skadelig (“harmful”)
spiselig (“edible”)
språklig (“linguistic”)
sørlig (“southern”)
ukentlig (“weekly”)
vestlig (“western”)
østlig (“eastern”)
årlig (“annual, yearly”)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Norse -liga (“adverb-forming suffix”), the weak neuter accusative singular of -ligr (“-like, -ly”).

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk -leg, Danish -lig, Icelandic -lega and Swedish -ligen (“adverb-forming suffix”).

Suffix

-lig

Used to form adverbs indicating manner, degree, or frequency.
nylig (“recently”), jevnlig (“regularly”), høylig (“highly, greatly”)
Used to form sentence adverbs expressing the speaker's assessment of a statement.
sannelig (“truly, indeed”), visselig (“certainly, assuredly”), neppelig (“hardly, scarcely”)

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Danish -lig (“historical noun-forming suffix”), from Old Danish -lek (“noun-forming suffix”), corresponding to Old Norse -leikr (“play; form, appearance, nature”) and -leiki (“form, appearance, nature”); ultimately related to lek (“play, game”).

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk -leik and Swedish -lek (“abstract noun-forming suffix”).

Suffix

-lig

A historical suffix forming nouns, originally chiefly abstract nouns, from nouns, adjectives, or other bases.
bo (“to live, reside”) +‎ -lig (“historical noun-forming suffix”) → bolig (“dwelling, residence”)

vær (“weather”) +‎ -lig (“historical noun-forming suffix”) → værlig (“weather conditions, climate”)