-aire

1. a suffix that forms nouns denoting a person characterized by or occupied with that named by the stem, occurring in loanwords from French:

   concessionaire; doctrinaire; legionnaire; millionaire.

Aire

/ ɛə /

noun

1. a river in N England rising in the Pennines and flowing southeast to the Ouse. Length: 112 km (70 miles)

Word History and Origins

Origin of -aire¹

< French < Latin -ārius -ary, a learned doublet of the French suffix -ier -eer, -ier ²

Example Sentences

Like the corresponding French nouns in -eur, these nouns in -aire, as well as those in -èire, are also used as adjectives.

From Project Gutenberg

Two miles further down, on the west side, the Ouse receives another important feeder in the Aire.

From Project Gutenberg

The houses look on to a strip of uneven green, cut in two, lengthways, by the Aire.

From Project Gutenberg

At the base of the perpendicular face of the cliff the Aire flows from a very slightly arched recess in the rock.

From Project Gutenberg

Yaas—day follar de wagon, dey aire leave dar pony-track all roun you.

From Project Gutenberg