-ia Hear it!

-ia definition

-ia (ē ə, yə)

  1. name of a country India
  2. name of a disease pneumonia
  3. name of an ancient Greek or Roman festival Lupercalia
  4. any of certain words formed in Greek or Latin and carried over into English militia
  5. the English plural of any of certain Greek or Latin words paraphernalia
  6. Bot. generic name of any of certain plants zinnia
  7. Zool. name of any of certain classes, orders, etc. Reptilia

Etymology: for 1, 2, 7 (& sometimes 4), L -ia & Gr -ia < -i-, thematic vowel + -a, noun suffix of 1st declension; for 3, 5, 6 (& sometimes 4), L -ia & Gr -ia, neut. pl. ending of L nouns in -ium & Gr nouns in -ion; -i-, thematic vowel + -a, suffix

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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