-aster
suffix forming nouns
a person or thing that is inferior or bears only a poor resemblance to what is specified
⇒
poetaster
Origin
from Latin: suffix indicating imperfect resemblance-aster1
Word Origin
1
a diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing:
criticaster; poetaster, oleaster.
Origin
< Latin
-aster2
1
Chiefly Biology. a combining form with the meaning “star,” used in the formation of compound words:
diaster.
Origin
< Greek astḗr star; cf. astro-
Related Words
- cotoneaster
- sargasso
- amphiaster
- astro-
- criticaster
- cytaster
-asterI.
a suffix used to form nouns denoting something that imperfectly resembles or merely apes the true thing, or an inferior or petty instance of something, as in poetaster, oleaster.
[Latin]II.
Chiefly Biology
a suffix meaning 'star'.
[representing Greek astēr]-aster
noun suffix
criticaster
noun suffix
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Latin, suffix denoting partial resemblance
: one that is inferior or not genuinecriticaster
-aster
suffix
forming nouns ［构成名词］
1.
- denoting poor quality表示“次等的”：
-
criticaster
poetaster.
2.
- Botany denoting incomplete resemblance【植】表示“似的”, “伪的”：
-
oleaster.
词源
from Latin.
-aster
word-forming element expressing incomplete resemblance (such as poetaster), usually diminutive and deprecatory, from Latin, from Greek -aster, suffix originally forming nouns from verbs ending in -azein, later generalized as a pejorative suffix, as in Greek patraster "he who plays the father."
ORIGIN: Latin .
-as·ter
I.\|astə(r), |aas-\ noun suffix
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, suffix denoting partial resemblance
: one that is inferior, worthless, or not genuine
< criticaster >
< poetaster >
II.\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\ noun combining form
(-s)
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek astēr
: star — in structural and generic names in biology
< diaster >
< Geaster >
I.
< criticaster >
< poetaster >
II.
< diaster >
< Geaster >
-aster
Suffix
- Used to form diminutive and pejorative nouns, labeling someone pretending to be what they are not.
Etymology
From Latin -aster (“little, petty, partial, incomplete”).
Derived terms
English words suffixed with -aster
Related terms
后缀：-aster [名词后缀]
表示人（卑称）
poetaster 劣等诗人
criticaster 低劣的批评家
medicaster 江湖医生，庸医
philosophaster 肤浅的哲学家