The suffix -ous, which forms adjectives, has the basic meaning “having, full of, or characterized by.” Blusterous, for example, means “full of or characterized by bluster.” The suffix -ous can be traced back to the Latin adjective suffix -osus. Some English words ending in -ous that come from Latin adjectives ending in -osus are copious, dolorous, famous, generous, and glorious. Adjectives ending in -ous often have related nouns ending in -ousness or -osity: copiousness, generosity.
