-ician

English

Etymology

From French -icien, from -ique f sg +‎ -ien. By surface analysis, -ic +‎ -ian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-ˈɪʃən/

Suffix

-ician

1. forming nouns denoting occupations:
   1. A person who studies or is an expert in the related -ics.

      ‎obstetrics + ‎-ician → ‎obstetrician

      ‎phonetics + ‎-ician → ‎phonetician

Usage notes

• Relatively few terms are directly derived using this suffix. Terms ending in -ician were often derived from Middle French words ending in -icien, which themselves were derived from words ending in -ique f sg + -ien, e.g.:

  mathematician, from Middle French mathematicien, itself from mathematique f sg (“mathematics”) + -ien

  practician, from Middle French practicien, itself from practique f sg (“practice”) + -ien.

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -ician

Anagrams

• acini, iniac