*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of -ory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -tōriusder. Middle English -orie English -ory Fro

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
suffix

Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form adjectives meaning “of”, “pertaining to”, or “serving for”.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -tōriusder. Middle English -orie English -ory From Middle English -orie, from the Latin adjective suffix -tōrius. By surface analysis, -or + -y.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mention-orieenm
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-orie<ety:der<la:-tōrius>>",
        "id": "adjectival",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-tōr\nProto-Italic *-tōr\nLatin -tor\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -tōriusder.\nMiddle English -orie\nEnglish -ory\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tōr\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-tōr\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tor\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-ijos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-(i)yós\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tōrius\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-orie\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ory\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"adjectival\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-ory\" id=\"English:_adjectival\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-orie"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -orie"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin"
    },
    {
      "name": "ref",
      "args": {
        "1": "<span class=\"cited-source\">“-ory”, in <cite>The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language</cite>, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, <span class=\"None\" lang=\"und\">2000, <small>→ISBN</small>, page 1243, column 2.</span></span>",
        "name": "heritage"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "surf",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-or",
        "3": "-y"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, -or + -y"
    },
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      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-orie<ety:der<la:-tōrius>>",
        "id": "adjectival",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-tōr\nProto-Italic *-tōr\nLatin -tor\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -tōriusder.\nMiddle English -orie\nEnglish -ory"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*-tōr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tōr#Proto-Indo-European:_agent"
    ],
    [
      "*-tōr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-tōr#Proto-Italic:_agent_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "-tor",
      "-tor#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*-(i)yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
    [
      "*-ios",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-ios#Proto-Italic:_adjective_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-ios",
      "-ios#Latin:_suffix_forming_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-ius",
      "-ius#Latin:_suffix_forming_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-tōrius",
      "-torius#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-orie",
      "-orie#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-orie",
      "-orie#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-tōrius",
      "-torius#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-or",
      "-or#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form adjectives meaning “of”, “pertaining to”, or “serving for”."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
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      "rawRecordSha256": "34726637095917173aa090698d60abd26cc7fdd5c16cb21bc4d99527399128ef",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 572192
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
suffix

Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form nouns meaning “that which pertains to or serves for”.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -tōrius Latin -tōriumder. English -ory From the Latin noun suffix -tōrium. By surface analysis, -or + -y.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "la:-tōrium",
        "id": "nominal",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-tōr\nProto-Italic *-tōr\nLatin -tor\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -tōrius\nLatin -tōriumder.\nEnglish -ory\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tōr\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-tōr\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tor\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-ijos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-(i)yós\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tōrius\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tōrium\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ory\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"nominal\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-ory\" id=\"English:_nominal\">"
    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin"
    },
    {
      "name": "ref",
      "args": {
        "1": "<span class=\"cited-source\">“-ory, suf.”, in <cite>Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary</cite>, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, <span class=\"None\" lang=\"und\">1913, <small>→OCLC</small>, retrieved 05 Jun 2011.</span></span>",
        "name": "webster"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "surf",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-or",
        "3": "-y"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, -or + -y"
    },
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      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "la:-tōrium",
        "id": "nominal",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-tōr\nProto-Italic *-tōr\nLatin -tor\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -tōrius\nLatin -tōriumder.\nEnglish -ory"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*-tōr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tōr#Proto-Indo-European:_agent"
    ],
    [
      "*-tōr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-tōr#Proto-Italic:_agent_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "-tor",
      "-tor#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*-(i)yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
    [
      "*-ios",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-ios#Proto-Italic:_adjective_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-ios",
      "-ios#Latin:_suffix_forming_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-ius",
      "-ius#Latin:_suffix_forming_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-tōrius",
      "-torius#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-tōrium",
      "-torium#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-tōrium",
      "-torium#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "-or",
      "-or#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Added to nouns and verbs (often Latinate) to form nouns meaning “that which pertains to or serves for”."
      ],
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for -ory →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-LW9yeQ