Function: verb suffix
Etymology: Middle French -iser, from Late Latin -izare, from Greek -izein
1 a (1) : cause to be or conform to or resemble <system ize > <American ize > : cause to be formed into <union ize > (2) : subject to a (specified) action <plagiar ize > (3) : impregnate or treat or combine with <alumin ize > b : treat like <idol ize > c : treat according to the method of <bowdler ize >
2 a : become : become like <crystall ize > b : be productive in or of <hypothes ize > : engage in a (specified) activity <philosoph ize > c : adopt or spread the manner of activity or the teaching of <Platon ize >
usage The suffix -ize has been productive in English since the time of Thomas Nashe (1567-1601), who claimed credit for introducing it into English to remedy the surplus of monosyllabic words. Almost any noun or adjective can be made into a verb by adding -ize <hospital ize > <familiar ize >; many technical terms are coined this way <oxid ize > as well as verbs of ethnic derivation <American ize > and verbs derived from proper names <bowdler ize > <mesmer ize >. Nashe noted in 1591 that his -ize coinages were being criticized, and to this day new words ending in -ize <final ize > <priorit ize > are sure to draw critical fire.