black-tipped
UK[blæk tɪpt]US[blæk tɪpt]
adj
Having a tip or end that is black in color.
Morpheme Breakdown
black
tip
ed
black
color
tip
end
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The compound adjective 'black-tipped' is a straightforward descriptive formation in Modern English. Its first element, 'black', originates from the Proto-Germanic blakaz, which meant 'burned' and evolved to denote the darkest color. The second element, 'tip', derives from Old Norse 'typpi', referring to a point or extremity. The suffix '-ed' is added to the noun compound to create an adjective, following a common English pattern for describing physical attributes. Thus, the word logically and literally describes an object possessing an end that is colored black, a construction transparent to modern speakers.
Analysis
Structure: black (color) + tip (end) + ed (adjective suffix)
'black' is from Old English 'blæc', meaning the color black. 'tip' is from Middle English, meaning the extreme end or point of something. '-ed' is an Old English suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, meaning 'having' or 'characterized by'.
Examples
The black-tipped reef shark is commonly found in shallow tropical waters.
She used a black-tipped marker to highlight the important text.
The bird was easily identified by its black-tipped wings and tail feathers.