ary, ery & ory

These ROOT-WORDS are the Suffixes ARY, ERY & ORY. All are pretty much alike in meaning. They make nouns and adjectives. In adjectives they mean RELATING TO. In nouns they show a certain QUALITY and show PLACE & WHERE.


1. Burglary : burgl ARY (bur’ gla ree) n.

The act of breaking into a place for theft


2. Dictionary : diction ARY (dik’ shu nar ee) n.

A book of words and their meanings


3. Dietary : diet ARY (die’ e tar ee) adj.

Relating to diet’ as, dietary laws


4. Necessary : necess ARY (nes’ e ser ee) adj.

Relating to need; as, necessary food


5. Primary : prim ARY (prie’ mar ee) adj.

Relating to first things; important things


6. Voluntary : volunt ARY (vol’ un tar ee) adj.

Relating to free will; as, a voluntary service


7. Bakery : bak ERY (bay’ ke ree) n.

A place where foods are baked or sold


8. Bindery : bind ERY (bine’ de ree) n.

A place where books are bound


9. Bravery : brav ERY (brave’ e ree) n.

The quality of courage


10. Bribery : brib ERY (brie’ be ree) n.

The act of influencing the act of another by a gift of money; as, bribery of a judge


11. Reformatory : reformat ORY (re for’ ma tore ee) n.

A place where the young wrongdoer is helped to reform


12. Repertory : (rep’ er tore ee) n.

A place where something may be located; the plays presented in turn by a drama group


13. Witchery : witch ERY (wich’ e ree) n.

The quality of witchcraft; charm


14. Depository : deposit ORY (de poz’ i tore ee) n.

A place where valuable things are placed


15. Dormitory : dormit ORY (dor; mi tore ee) n.

A place where people sleep; as, a college school dormitory


16. Factory : fact ORY (fak’ to ree) n.

A place where workers are employed to make goods


17. Memory : mem ORY (mem’ o ree) n.

The process of recalling


18. Obligatory : obligat ORY (to blig’ a tore ee) adj.

Relating to a duty


19. Stationary : station ARY (stay’ shu ner ee) adj.

Fixed in one place

Etymology Index

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