meaning - When is it appropriate, if at all, to use the suffix "ish"?


When is it appropriate, if at all, to use the suffix ish?


Consider the following:



She was a largish woman



According to Google the word largish is defined as somewhat large. However, Merriam-Webster seems to redirect the search phrase to large instead.


I have seen people abuse this quite a bit. When does one draw the line when using this suffix? Or does it have no place in formal english?



Answer



I think you could make the argument that the -ish suffix should not be used in formal English to create ad-hoc words on the spot, like "largish". There is nothing grammatically wrong — you will, of course be understood — but it has a definite informal connotation. However, there are a number of established words, e.g. impish, boorish, devilish, sheepish, etc., where -ish is accepted in all contexts, including formal ones.


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