-ic

a suffix forming adjectives from other parts of speech, occurring originally in Greek and Latin loanwords (metallic; poetic; archaic; public) and, on this model, used as an adjective-forming suffix with the particular senses “having some characteristics of” (opposed to the simple attributive use of the base noun) (balletic; sophomoric); “in the style of” (Byronic; Miltonic); “pertaining to a family of peoples or languages” (Finnic; Semitic; Turkic).

Chemistry. a suffix, specialized in opposition to -ous, used to show the higher of two valences: ferric chloride.

a noun suffix occurring chiefly in loanwords from Greek, where such words were originally adjectival (critic; magic; music).

Origin:
Middle English -ic, -ik < Latin -icus; in many words representing the cognate Greek -ikos (directly or through L); in some words replacing -ique < French < Latin -icus

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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What Is 1x1x1x1x?

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-ic is always a great word to know.

So is formaldehyde. Does it mean:

a solution containing the maximum amount of solute capable of being dissolved under given conditions

a colorless, toxic, water-soluble gas having a suffocating odor, used chiefly as a disinfectant and preservative, contained in resins and plastics

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Collins

World English Dictionary

-ic

—*suffix forming adjectives*
1.	See also -ical of, relating to, or resembling: allergic; Germanic; periodic
2.	Compare -ous (in chemistry) indicating that an element is chemically combined in the higher of two possible valence states: ferric; stannic

[from Latin -icus or Greek -ikos; -ic also occurs in nouns that represent a substantive use of adjectives (magic) and in nouns borrowed directly from Latin or Greek (critic, music)]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

-ic

adj. suffix, from Fr. -ique, from L. -icus, which in many cases represents Gk. -ikos "in the manner of; pertaining to." From PIE *-(i)ko, which also yielded Slavic -isku, adj. suffix indicating origin, the source of the -sky (Rus. -skii) in many surnames.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

-ic suff.

Of, relating to, or characterized by: carbonic.
Having a valence higher than that of a specified element in compounds or ions named with adjectives ending in -ous: ferric.
Of or relating to an acid: sulfuric acid.

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