ologique

The suffix -ologique is a productive French derivational suffix used to form adjectives that indicate relation to or study of a particular field, science, or systematic domain. It appears in many common terms such as écologique, biologique, technologique, chronologique, physiologique, and psychologique.

Origin and formation: The suffix derives from the Greek root logos via Latin -logia and the French ending -ique, yielding -ologique. It typically attaches to stems denoting a field, process, or property, to produce adjectives such as écologique (ecological) or technologique (technological). In contrast, the related noun suffix -logie forms the name of a field of study (biologie, écologie, technologie).

Usage and nuance: In standard French, -ologique adjectives are common in scientific, technological, and academic language. They describe characteristics or relations and, depending on context, may carry nuanced meanings tied to the underlying field (for example, pharmacologique relates to pharmacology). The suffix is productive but subject to historical conventions, and some words may have specialized meanings that diverge from a direct, literal reading.