-nis

See also: nis, Nis, NIS, niś, niš, Niš, ñiś, and -niß

Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch -nissi, -nussi, from Proto-West Germanic *-nassī.

Suffix

-nis f (plural -nissen)

1. -ment, -ation, -ness

Usage notes

• While a cognate of -ness, this Dutch suffix is not an exact equivalent semantically; for example, it is not restricted to abstract nouns representing states of being but also produces more concrete, countable nouns, particularly action nouns.
• The deverbal suffix -nis proved one of the most productive noun-forming suffixes in Dutch up until 16th century Dutch. It was a deverbal noun former and formed with verbal stems, infinitives or participles. Nowadays, the suffix -nis “-ness” is either no longer productive or at most marginally productive.
• In a few cases, the suffix carries a neuter gender; for example in vonnis and vuilnis

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -nis

beeltenis

begrafenis

bekentenis

bekommernis

belevenis

belijdenis

bemoeienis

besnijdenis

betekenis

bewaarnis

bewustenis

deemsternis

deernis

droefenis

duisternis

erfenis

ergernis

gebeurtenis

gedachtenis

geheimenis

gelijkenis

geschiedenis

getuigenis

gevangenis

groetenis

hechtenis

heugenis

hindernis

kennis

lafenis

nagedachtenis

ontkentenis

ontsteltenis

schennis

stoornis

treurnis

verbintenis

verderfenis

verdoemenis

vergiffenis

verrijzenis

versnijdenis

vervaarnis

vonnis

vuilnis

wildernis

German

Alternative forms

• -niß, -nüß, -nuß (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle High German -nisse, from Old High German -nissī f, -nissi n, from Proto-West Germanic *-nassī. Cognate to English -ness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɪs/

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-nis n (genitive -nisses, plural -nisse)

1. A suffix for deriving nouns from verbs or adjectives.

   hindern (“to hinder, to hamper”) → Hindernis (“an obstacle”)

   geheim (“secret”, adjective) → Geheimnis (“a secret”, noun)

Derived terms

• Bedürfnis
• Bekenntnis
• Ereignis
• Ergebnis
• Erlebnis
• Geheimnis
• Hindernis
• Missverständnis
• Verhältnis
• Verhängnis
• Verzeichnis
• Zeugnis

Suffix

-nis f (genitive -nis, plural -nisse)

1. A suffix for deriving nouns from verbs or adjectives, etymologically identical to the preceding.

   erlauben (“to permit”) → Erlaubnis (“permission”)

   finster (“dark”) → Finsternis (“darkness”)

Usage notes

There is no perfect rule to determine whether a noun with the suffix -nis is neuter (→ suffix 1) or feminine (→ suffix 2). The former may be concrete or abstract, whereas the latter are almost exclusively abstract.

Derived terms

• Befugnis
• Besorgnis
• Erkenntnis
• Erlaubnis
• Finsternis
• Kenntnis

Middle English

Suffix

-nis

1. Alternative form of -nesse

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nis/

Suffix

-nis f

1. Alternative form of -nes