-ilho

See also: ilho and ilhó

Portuguese

Etymology

From Spanish -illo, from Latin -ellus. Doublet of -elo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈi.ʎu/

Suffix

-ilho m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ilhos)

1. forms names of things that share some characteristic with the suffixed word, often carrying a diminutive or belittling aspect

   ‎caixa (“box”) + ‎-ilho → ‎caixilho (“window frame”)

   ‎trocado (“switched”) + ‎-ilho → ‎trocadilho (“pun”)

   ‎andar (“to walk”) + ‎-ilho → ‎andarilho (“hobo”)

Usage notes

Most often found in Spanish loanwords containing -illo rather than used productively.

Derived terms

Portuguese terms suffixed with -ilho

amentilho

atilho

barbilho

braguilha

caixilho

espartilho

estorvilho

fodilhão

matraquilhos

quartilho

rastilho

tinilho

trocadilho

vendilhão

vidrilho

zorrilho

Further reading

• “-ilho”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “-ilho”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025