Exploring the Suffix <ic>

exploring the Suffix <ic>

vs.

<ic>

<ical>

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Note to the instructor

The suffix <-ic> is found on many words in English and has a history that extends all the way to Ancient Greece. The Hellenic form, translated into English, was <-ikos>. The Latin form was <-icus>. We even have a French form, <ique>, that still shows in words from English like physique and unique. In earlier versions of English, we spelled this suffix <-ick>, but that form has faded from our orthography thanks to Noah Webster. The sense of the suffix is something akin to "similar to" or "like." If something is comedic it is "like comedy." If something is syllabic, it is "similar to" a syllable. We also see a similar suffix, <-ics> on subjects of study, such as physics or mathematics, a revival of Latin forms that came about in the 16th century. There is another <-ic> suffix used in chemistry that indicates a chemical higher in valence than one ending in <-ous>, such as ferric sulphate and ferrous sulphate. In some cases, these words have converted in English to function as nouns do. Although originally a Greek adjective "pertaining to the Muses," we often use music as a noun in Present-Day English.

Information obtained from the Online Etymology Dictionary

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Suffix <ic>

or <ical>

Info

vs.

music

musical

vs.

magic

magically

vs.

classic

classical

vs.

historic

historical

vs.

mythic

mythical

vs.

lyric

lyrical

vs.

comic

comical

vs.

fantastic

fantastical

vs.

electric

electrical

© OneStepNow Education 𓊍

The suffix <-ics> was added to areas of study in the 1600s. Some areas of study, however, retained <-ic>, such as rhetoric.

<-ic> or <ics>?

Some areas have two forms; for example, aerobic and aerobics. The form with <-ic> typically functions as an adjective while the form with <-ics> functions as a noun.

Matching Game

In the matching game, flip the cards to find a match between the adjective form and the noun form of these words.

mythic or mythical

The word mythic is more often used to discuss things that are happening in real life that have become extremely important or memorable. "The Japanese tsunami was a mythic disaster." "My best friend has a knack for throwing mythic parties." On the other hand, the word mythical is used to refer to items from fantasy or legend. "The mythical gods of Greece lived high on Mount Olympus." There is also the word mythological.

lyric or lyrical

These days, the word lyric is used primarily as a noun to talk about the words to accompany a piece of music. When used as an adjective, it is typically used to refer to a particular form of poetry or a "lyric poet." The word lyrical is used to describe anything that is deeply emotional or moving. "He writes poems with a lyrical quality." "The actor's lyrical performance had everyone reaching for a tissue." "Many lyrical passages from the book spoke to how I was feeling."

magic or magical

The word magic is often used as a noun, but can also be found in its adjectival use. We may refer to a "magic trick" or a "magic wand." We use the word magical more often to describe something that is really wonderful or exciting, like a "magical castle," or something that is from fantasy. "A winged horse named Pegasus is a magical creature from Greek mythology."

comic or comical

The word comic can be used to refer to someone who tells jokes on stage. Another word for that might be comedian. As an adjective, we use comic to describe something to do with comedy like a "comic strip" or "comic timing." To describe things that are funny, we use comical. "His comical stunts made us laugh so hard." "Mom cheered up after we watched that comical performance." Comical can also be negative. "She tries so hard; it's almost comical."

historic or historical

When we use the word historic, we are often talking about things that will influence history. "This historic meeting between the two leaders will hopefully bring peace." "July 20, 1969 was a historic day in space travel." When we use the word historical, we are usually referring to past events. "My dad reads historical fiction about World War II." "We took our time exploring the historical grounds of the castle." "Several historical ships were docked in the harbor."

music or musical

The word music is generally used as a noun, which is one reason why we also have the adjective musical. As an adjective, we might say we attended a "music concert" or we are taking a "music class." The word musical is used more as an adjective. We might see a "musical performance" or we might play a "musical instrument." Interestingly the word musical has also become a noun to refer to a theatrical performance that involves spoken dialogue, singing, and dancing.

classic or classical

The word classic is often used to talk about things that have become the standard or are from an earlier time period. We might refer to a "classic building" or a "classic car." When referring to these items, we may use the word classic as a noun. "That car is a classic." The word classical is more often used to refer to art, literature, or music. "He plays classical guitar." "Only classical literature lined the library shelves.

fantastic or fantastical

Most often, the word fantastic is used as an adjective to discuss anything that is amazing or wonderful. "She gave a fantastic performance in that movie." "The Northern Lights are a fantastic sight." When we use fantastical, we are actually using the older meaning for fantastic. "The princess lived in a fantastical kingdom with the giants and dwarves." "The unicorn is a fantastical creature."

This page contains pairs of words that contain the <-ic> suffix and the <-ical> suffixal construction made of the suffixes <-ic> and <-al>. Some of these pairings may have diverged in meaning. Use this page as a springboard to discuss in what contexts you might use each word. Click on each ticket's "stub" to get more information.

electric or electrical

As with several other of these word pairs, we use the form ending in <-ic> primarily as a noun. We can see electric used as an adjective to talk about machines. We see many "electric cars" on the roads. We might sleep under an "electric blanket." Therefore, the word electrical is used to describe things that use or involve electricity. "The electrical wiring in our house needs repaired." "Do you need to call an electrical engineer?" In some cases, we also use the word electronic.

classic or classical

The word classic is often used to talk about things that have become the standard or are from an earlier time period. We might refer to a "classic building" or a "classic car." When referring to these items, we may use the word classic as a noun. "That car is a classic." The word classical is more often used to refer to art, literature, or music. "He plays classical guitar." "Only classical literature lined the library shelves.

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