-ia

-ia [ē ə, yə]

[for 1, 2, 7 (& sometimes 4), L -ia & Gr -ia < -i-, thematic vowel + -a, noun suffix of 1st declension; for 3, 5, 6 (& sometimes 4), L -ia & Gr -ia, neut. pl. ending of L nouns in -ium & Gr nouns in -ion; -i-, thematic vowel + -a, suffix] suffix forming nouns

1. name of a country [India]

2. name of a disease [pneumonia]

3. name of an ancient Greek or Roman festival [Lupercalia]

4. any of certain words formed in Greek or Latin and carried over into English [militia]

5. the English plural of any of certain Greek or Latin words [paraphernalia]

6. Bot. generic name of any of certain plants [zinnia]

7. Zool. name of any of certain classes, orders, etc. [Reptilia]