-aceae

Translingual

Etymology

From the Latin -āceae, the feminine plural of -āceus (“resembling”).

Pronunciation

• English: IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.si.iː/, /ˈeɪ.si.aɪ/, /ˈeɪ.si.eɪ/

Suffix

-aceae f pl

1. (taxonomy) Used to form the name of taxonomic families of plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi

Usage notes

• A family name is formed from the name of a genus that belongs to the family by substitution of the ending of the genitive singular form with "-aceae".
• There are only eight exceptions to the rule of using the -aceae termination for taxonomic families under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code, 2011), for a few widely used names that pre-date the rule. Each also has an accepted alternative (nomen alternativum), given in brackets:

• Compositae (Asteraceae)
• Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
• Gramineae (Poaceae)
• Guttiferae (Clusiaceae)
• Labiatae (Lamiaceae)
• Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
• Palmae (Arecaceae)
• Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)

• In English, family names ending in -aceae are usually treated as plural (e.g., "Cunoniaceae are" or "the Cunoniaceae family is").
• In English, most family names ending in -aceae follow the pronunciation patterns of /ˈeɪsi, -siˌaɪ, -siˌeɪ, -siˌi/) (e.g., Solanaceae, /ˌsoʊləˈneɪsi/).

Derived terms

Translingual terms suffixed with -aceae

See also

• -idae (the equivalent for animals)

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈaː.ke.ae̯/, [ˈäːkeäe̯]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.t͡ʃe.e/, [ˈäːt͡ʃeː]

Suffix

-āceae

1. inflection of -āceus:
   1. nominative/vocative feminine plural
   2. genitive/dative feminine singular

Descendants

• New Latin: -aceae