ESE

1 of 3

abbreviation

east-southeast

-ese

2 of 3

adjective suffix

: of, relating to, or originating in (a certain place or country)
Japanese

-ese

3 of 3

noun suffix

plural -ese
1
: native or resident of (a specified place or country)
Chinese
2
a
: language of (a particular place, country, or nationality)
Cantonese
b
: speech, literary style, or diction peculiar to (a specified place, person, group, discipline, subject, or activity)
usually in words applied in depreciation
journalese
baseballese

Word History

Etymology

Adjective suffix

Portuguese -ês & Italian -ese, from Latin -ensis

Dictionary Entries Near ESE

Cite this Entry

“ESE.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ESE. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

-ese

1 of 2 adjective suffix
ˈēz,
ˈēs
: of, relating to, or originating in (a specified place or country)
Japanese

-ese

2 of 2 noun suffix
plural -ese
1
: one born or living in (a specified place or country)
Chinese
2
a
: language of (a specified place, country, or nationality)
Vietnamese
b
: speech or literary style of (a specified place, person, group subject, or activity)
journalese
Etymology

Adjective suffix

derived from Latin -ensis (adjective suffix)

Noun suffix

from 1-ese

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!