a noun suffix having restricted application in various fields, as in names of diseases ( malaria; anemia ), place names ( Italia; Rumania ), names of Roman feasts ( Lupercalia ), Latin or Latinizing plurals ( Amphibia; insignia; Reptilia ), and in other loanwords from Latin ( militia ).
[ -i- (formative or connective) or -i- (Gk -ei- ) + -a, fem. sing. or neut. pl. n. or adj. ending ]