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-ule

Also ‑ulum, and ‑ulus.

Forming nouns.

Latin endings ‑ulus, ‑ula, ‑ulum.

Many words in ‑ule were created in Latin as diminutives, though this sense is often not present in modern English terms derived from them, as with schedule (Latin schedula, a slip of paper, a diminutive of scheda, paper); or ferrule (Latin viriola, a diminutive of viriae, bracelets). Some where a sense of smallness persists are globule (Latin globulus, diminutive of globus, a spherical object or globe), a small round particle of a substance; capsule (Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa, a case), a small case or container; and molecule (Latin molecula, diminutive of moles, mass), a group of atoms bonded together.

Words in ‑ulum derive from Latin neuter nouns: pendulum (literally, ‘a little hanging thing’ from Latin pendulus, hanging down); curriculum (Latin curriculum, course, racing chariot, from currere, to run); pabulum (Latin, derived from pascere, to feed), bland or insipid intellectual fare or entertainment. Words in ‑ulus are similarly from Latin masculine nouns: stimulus is from the Latin word meaning a goad, spur, or incentive; cumulus, a type of cloud, derives from the Latin word for a heap; homunculus (diminutive of Latin homo, homin‑, man) is a very small human or humanoid creature. Other examples in both endings are mostly specialist words in the sciences.

See also ‑ole2.

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