Word Endings.

[swestrup]

So, just what is the adjective form of the word 'aphrodesiac'. Someone was talking in my NaNo novel and said something like "I'm told the stuff has aphrodesiacal qualities." Is that correct? Or is it aphrodesiacic or some other strange form?

Comments

[sps.livejournal.com]

It is already an adjective. But "aphrodisiacal" is acceptable, too, if you don't mind the redundancy becoming repetitive and happening over and over more than once.

[dcoombs.livejournal.com]

I suppose the noun form is actually "aphrodesia", then? I never thought about it.

[dcoombs.livejournal.com]

And when people say that something "is an aphrodesiac", they really mean to leave out the "an", or else to say that it "has aphrodesiac qualities", or, heck, "provides aphrodesia".

Go English!

[dcoombs.livejournal.com]

It's an aphrodesiator!

[sps.livejournal.com]

Or "is an aphrodesiac agent". Note that we say "is an analgesic", though - it's a regular derivation.

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

I believe the noune aphrodisia refers to the state of mind it induces. The noun aphrodisiac would derive from the adjective aphrodisiac.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

My dictionary says either aphrodisiac or aphrodisiacal can be used as the adjective.

[swestrup]

Thanks. My dictionary didn't have it, and online dictionaries were not clear on the matter.

Now the only question is, which way around would that particular character say it? Hmmm.

[sps.livejournal.com]

In real life, people either know, or they say "has aphrodiesel ,,, aphrodesial ... aphro ... is an aphrodesiac." ;)