suffix, repr. L. -ficātiōn-em, the regular formative of nouns of action (see -ATION) from vbs. in -ficāre: see -FY. Many words of this formation (chiefly post-classical) were adopted in Fr. with their related vbs., the sbs. in learned form with the suffix -fication, and the vbs. in semi-popular form with the suffix -fier; on the analogy of these many new formations with these suffixes arose in Fr. From the 14th c. F. vbs. in -fier with their corresponding agent-nouns in -fication have been freely introduced into Eng., as purify, purification, sanctify, sanctification; and hence the suffix -fication has become the recognized means of forming nouns of action corresponding to vbs. in -fy, except such as represent L. vbs. in -facĕre (see -FACTION). In general, however, such nouns of action are (unless as mere nonce-wds.) formed only on assumable mod.L. types; but beautification has been in use since 17th c., and words like Frenchification, transmogrification, uglification may occasionally be met with. In scientific language the suffix forms many sbs. (some of which have no corresponding vb.); examples are acetification, acidification, chylification, dentification, ossification, etc.
1799. Southey, Lett. to C. W. William Wynn (1856), 24 Sept., I. 85. I expect to reach Hampshire in about ten days, and take possession of my mother’s cottage. Excuse the damned city–country-fication of that word, but in truth I want an unpolluted word to express the same thing; for you know little-house is not exactly the same thing.
