izein
izein is a term from Greek linguistics that refers to a class of verbs formed with the meaning “to cause to become” or “to make into.” In classical and later Greek, -izein functions as an infinitive suffix used to derive verbs from nouns, adjectives, or stems, producing words that express bringing something into a new state or condition. Examples in antiquity and later varieties include compounds formed with a base meaning “to render X,” such as katharizein (to purify) and democratizein (to democratize). The exact pronunciation and use varied over time across dialects, but the pattern of turning a root into a verb of causing change was productive in Greek.
In the history of English, the Greek infinitive -izein gave rise to the English suffix -ize (and
Etymologically, -izein is related to the broader process of derivational suffixation in Greek, and its trajectory