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See also: ery and e'ry


Alternative forms[edit]


From Middle English -erie, from Anglo-Norman -erie, which is from Latin -ārius and Latin -ātor; a suffix forming abstract nouns.

The suffix first occurs in loans from Old French into Middle English, but becomes productive within English by the 16th century, in some instances properly a combination of -er with -y as in bakery, brewery, but also as a single suffix in terms like slavery, machinery.




  1. Added to nouns to form other nouns meaning the "art, craft, or practice of."
    midwife + ‎-ery → ‎midwifery
    cook + ‎-ery → ‎cookery
  2. Added to verbs to form nouns meaning "place of" (an art, craft, or practice).
    bake + ‎-ery → ‎bakery
    distill + ‎-ery → ‎distillery
    join + ‎-ery → ‎joinery
  3. Added to nouns to form other nouns meaning "a class, group, or collection of."
    crock + ‎-ery → ‎crockery
    hose + ‎-ery → ‎hosiery
    shrub + ‎-ery → ‎shrubbery
  4. Added to nouns to form other nouns meaning "behavior characteristic of."
    snob + ‎-ery → ‎snobbery
    tomfool + ‎-ery → ‎tomfoolery


Derived terms[edit]


See also[edit]