I. ənt, ə nt; in some words chiefly with stress on the antepenult or by syncope on the penult (as “president”) sometimes ˌent; in common words “-erent” preceded by stressed vowel and consonant (as in “different”) often ərnt noun suffix
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ent-, -ens, from present participle suffix of the 2d & 3d conjugations, from -e- (vowel of the 2d & 3d conjugations, + -nt-, -ns, present participle suffix — more at -ant
: one that performs (a specified action)
reg ent
resid ent
tang ent
— compare -ant I
II. adjective suffix
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ent-, -ens, present participle suffix
: doing, behaving, existing (in the way specified) : -ing
appar ent
rever ent
subsequ ent
— with verbs or verbal roots; compare -ant II