Home UK English -ee

Meaning of -ee in English:

-ee

Pronunciation /iː/

suffix

  • 1Forming nouns denoting the person affected directly or indirectly by the action of the formative verb.

    • ‘employee’

  • 2Forming nouns denoting a person described as or concerned with.

    • ‘absentee’

  • 3Forming nouns denoting an object of relatively smaller size.

    • ‘bootee’

Origin

From Anglo-Norman French -é, from Latin -atus (past participial ending). Some forms are anglicized modern French nouns (e.g. refugee from réfugié).