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Ile

1

abbreviation for

, Biochemistry.


ile-

2
  1. variant of ileo- before a vowel:

    ileac.

-ile

3
  1. a suffix of adjectives expressing capability, susceptibility, liability, aptitude, etc.:

    agile; docile; ductile; fragile; prehensile; volatile.

-ile

suffix forming adjectives

  1. indicating capability, liability, or a relationship with something

    fragile

    agile

    juvenile

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Ile1

From the Latin word -ilis, -īlis
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Ile1

via French from Latin or directly from Latin -ilis
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Example Sentences

The Canadians argue that the risks with the weather are greater in Montreal in May, that they need time to build the track in the park on the Ile Notre Dame after the end of the long Quebec winter, and that the early June date works for the city in terms of the rest of its social calendar.

From BBC

Thirty players who participated in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, including Mbappe, were born in Paris or the surrounding Ile de France, compared to 12 from Sao Paulo and eight from London, according to the BBC.

As the sun sets outside a different bar, L’ile Noir, owner Michelle Lavellee disagrees - he has a different take on the closing-time situation.

From BBC

“I’m a little bit worried. I’ve never seen it so calm. Ninety percent of clients have gone,” said a waiter, Omar Benabdallah, 25, surveying a pavement’s worth of empty tables on the Île de la Cité.

From BBC

The Palais de Justice was located on the Île de la Cité, an island in the middle of the Seine in the heart of the city.

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Words That Use Ile-

What does ile- mean?

Ile- is a combining form used like a prefix representing the word ileum, the third and lowest division of the small intestine. It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology.

Ile- ultimately comes from the Latin īlia, meaning “side of the body between hips and groin, guts.”

Ile- is a variant of ileo-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

Want to know more? Read our Words That Use ileo- article.

Examples of ile-

A medical term that features the combining form ile- is ileectomy, the “surgical removal of the ileum.”

The first part of the word, ile-, means “ileum.” The second part of the word, -ectomy, is a combining form that means “excision.” Ileectomy literally translates to “ileum removal.”

What are some words that use the combining form ile-?

What are some other forms that ile- may be commonly confused with?

Also note that the combining form ile-, meaning “ileum,” is not to be confused with the common suffix -ile. The suffix -ile—as in agile, fragile, volatile, and many other words—is different from the combining form ile-. It is used in adjectives expressing capability, susceptibility, liability, aptitude, and other such qualities.

The combining form ile- is also not to be confused with ile., an abbreviation for the amino acid isoleucine.

Break it down!

The combining form -itis is used to denote inflammation of an organ. What does the medical condition of ileitis involve?

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