-elo

From Old Galician-Portuguese -elo, from Latin -ellus, an extension of -lus. Compare Spanish -illo.

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛlʊ], (western) [ˈelʊ]

-elo (plural -elos, feminine counterpart -ela)

1. (archaic) usually added to masculine nouns to denote a diminutive form

   ‎nó (“knot”) + ‎-elo → ‎noelo (“knuckle”)

   ‎fato (“cover, container > group”) + ‎-elo → ‎fatelo (“garment”)

   Synonym: -iño

• -celo

• -ello (obsolete)

From Old Galician-Portuguese -elo, from Latin -ellus, -ellum. Doublet of -ilho.

Most commonly in loaned or inherited words:

Most commonly in words coined in Portuguese:

-elo m (noun-forming suffix, plural -elos, feminine -ela, feminine plural -elas)

1. forms diminutives; -ling; -let

   ‎cobra (“snake”) + ‎-elo → ‎cobrelo (“snakeling”)

   ‎castro (“fort or walled village”) + ‎-elo → ‎castrelo (“small fort or walled village”)

   Synonyms: -inho, -ito, -im

2. forms names of things that share a characteristic with the suffixed word, usually carrying a diminutive aspect

   ‎pesado (“heavy”) + ‎-elo → ‎pesadelo (“nightmare”)

   ‎pardo (“dun”) + ‎-elo → ‎pardelo (“sparrow”)

   Synonyms: -inho, -ilho