-ment

1.
a suffix of nouns, often concrete, denoting an action or resulting state (abridgment; refreshment), a product (fragment), or means (ornament).
Origin
< French < Latin -mentum, suffix forming nouns, usually from verbs
British Dictionary definitions for -ment

-ment

suffix
1.
indicating state, condition, or quality: enjoyment
2.
indicating the result or product of an action: embankment
3.
indicating process or action: management
Word Origin
from French, from Latin -mentum
Word Origin and History for -ment

suffix forming nouns, originally from French and representing Latin -mentum, which was added to verb stems sometimes to represent the result or product of the action. French inserts an -e- between the verbal root and the suffix (e.g. commenc-e-ment from commenc-er; with verbs in ir, -i- is inserted instead (e.g. sent-i-ment from sentir). Used with English verb stems from 16c. (e.g. merriment, which also illustrates the habit of turning -y to -i- before this suffix).