-ize

verb suffix Etymology: Middle French -iser, from Late Latin -izare, from Greek -izein 1. a. (1) cause to be or conform to or resemble <

systemize

> <

Americanize

> ; cause to be formed into <

unionize

> (2) subject to a (specified) action <

plagiarize

> (3) impregnate or treat or combine with <

aluminize

> b. treat like <

idolize

> c. treat according to the method of <

bowdlerize

> 2. a. become ; become like <

crystallize

> b. be productive in or of <

hypothesize

> ; engage in a (specified) activity <

philosophize

> c. adopt or spread the manner of activity or the teaching of <

Platonize

> Usage: The suffix -ize has been productive in English since the time of Thomas Nashe (1567-1601), who claimed credit for introducing it into English to remedy the surplus of monosyllabic words. Almost any noun or adjective can be made into a verb by adding -ize <

hospitalize

> <

familiarize

>; many technical terms are coined this way <

oxidize

> as well as verbs of ethnic derivation <

Americanize

> and verbs derived from proper names <

bowdlerize

> <

mesmerize

>. Nashe noted in 1591 that his -ize coinages were being criticized, and to this day new words ending in -ize <

finalize

> <

prioritize

> are sure to draw critical fire.