-ence

noun suffix

1

: action or process

emergence

: instance of an action or process

reference

2

: quality or state

despondence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin -entia, from -ent-, -ens, present participle ending + -ia -y entry 2

Kids Definition

-ence

noun suffix

ən(t)s,

ᵊn(t)s

1

: action or process

emergence

: instance of an action or process

reference

2

: quality or state

existence

Etymology

derived from Latin -entia "action or process"