Meaning

(sometimes derogatory) Used to form nouns denoting followers or adherents of a specified person, idea, doctrine, movement, etc..

Definitions by Sense

1. (sometimes derogatory) Used to form nouns denoting followers or adherents of a specified person, idea, doctrine, movement, etc.
2. Used to form nouns denoting descendants of a specified historical person, especially a biblical figure.
3. (chiefly US, India) Used to form demonyms.
4. Used to form nouns denoting rocks or minerals.
5. Used to form nouns denoting fossil organisms.
6. (biology) Used to form nouns denoting segments or components of the body or an organ of the body.
7. Used to form nouns denoting the product of a specified process or a commercially manufactured product.
8. (chemistry) Used to form names of certain chemical compounds, especially salts or esters of acids whose name ends in -ous.

Example Sentences

Adamsite, Campbellite, Jacobite, laborite, Mansonite, Reaganite, Thatcherite

Cainite, Ephraimite, Hamite, Japhetite, Lamanite

There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

Brooklynite, Delhiite, Jerusalemite, Keralite, Kilgoreite, New Jerseyite, Seattleite, Seoulite, Sydneyite, Wisconsinite, Wyomingite; also see ashramite, hostelite

andalusite, anorthosite, anthracite, erythrite, forsterite, graphite, hawleyite, titanite

ammonite, belemnite

dendrite, somite

Bakelite, cordite, dynamite, ebonite, metabolite, vulcanite

Word Forms

• -ites

When Should You Use -ite?

Use -ite when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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Frequently Asked Questions