word-forming element denoting an action or product of an action, from Latin -ata (source of French -ade, Spanish -ada, Italian -ata), fem. pp. ending used in forming nouns. A living prefix in French, from which many words have come into English (e.g. lemonade). Latin -atus, pp. suffix of verbs of the 1st conjugation also became -ade in French (Spanish -ado, Italian -ato) and came to be used as a suffix denoting persons or groups participating in an action (e.g. brigade, desperado).