-ite

¹ American  

1. a suffix of nouns denoting especially persons associated with a place, tribe, leader, doctrine, system, etc. (Campbellite; Israelite; laborite ); minerals and fossils (ammonite; anthracite ); explosives (cordite; dynamite ); chemical compounds, especially salts of acids whose names end in -ous (phosphite; sulfite ); pharmaceutical and commercial products (vulcanite ); a member or component of a part of the body (somite ).

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-ite ² American  

1. a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from adjectives, and from some verbs.

   composite; opposite; erudite; requisite.

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-ite ¹ British  

suffix

1. indicating a salt or ester of an acid having a name ending in -ous

   a nitrite is a salt of nitrous acid

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-ite ² British  

suffix

1. a native or inhabitant of

   Israelite

2. a follower or advocate of; a member or supporter of a group

   Luddite

   labourite

3. (in biology) indicating a division of a body or organ

   somite

4. indicating a mineral or rock

   nephrite

   peridotite

5. indicating a commercial product

   vulcanite

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–ite Scientific  

1. A suffix used to form the names of minerals, such as hematite and malachite.

2. A suffix used to form the name of a salt or ester of a specified acid whose name ends in –ous. Such salts or esters have one oxygen atom fewer than corresponding salts or esters with names ending in –ate. For example, a nitrite is a salt of nitrous acid and contains the group NO ₂, while a nitrate contains NO ₃.

3. Compare –ate

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Etymology

Origin of -ite¹

Middle English < Latin -ita < Greek -itēs; often directly < Greek; in some words representing French -ite, German -it, etc. < Latin < Greek, as above

Origin of -ite²

< Latin -itus or -ītus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

Note that there is a system for naming some polyatomic ions; -ate and -ite are suffixes designating polyatomic ions containing more or fewer oxygen atoms.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

A ternary acid with the termination -ic gives a salt with the name ending in -ate, while an acid with termination -ous gives a salt with the name ending in -ite.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by McPherson, William

An acid terminating in -ous forms a salt ending in -ite, and an oxyacid ending in -ic forms a salt ending in -ate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various