suspension
suspension
UK[səˈspɛnʃn]US[səˈspɛnʃn]
n
The act of stopping something from happening or being in effect for a period of time.
n
The act of making someone leave a school, job, or organization for a period of time, usually as a punishment.
n
The system of springs, shock absorbers, etc. that is connected to the wheels of a vehicle to make it more comfortable to travel in.
n
A liquid mixture in which very small pieces of solid material are contained but have not dissolved.
Morpheme Breakdown
sus
pens
ion
sus
from below, up
pens
hang, weigh
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'suspension' originates from the Latin verb suspendere, meaning "to hang up". This verb itself is a compound of the prefix sub- (here meaning "from below, up") and pendere ("to hang, weigh"). The literal sense of "hanging something up from below" evolved into the broader concept of causing something to stop or be held in a state of temporary inactivity, as if it were hanging in mid-air. The modern abstract meanings—from a temporary halt in proceedings to particles hanging in a liquid—all retain this core idea of being held in an intermediate or pending state, directly descended from the physical act of hanging.
Analysis
Structure: sus (from below, up) + pens (hang, weigh) + ion (noun suffix)
- sus: A prefix from Latin sub- meaning "from below, up, under".
- pens: A root from Latin pensus, the past participle of pendere meaning "to hang, to weigh".
- ion: A suffix from Latin -ionem, forming nouns of action or state.
Examples
The athlete faces a two-game suspension for violating the rules.
The car's sophisticated suspension handles rough terrain with ease.
The mixture is a suspension of fine clay particles in water.