-அம்

Inherited from Old Tamil -𑀅𑀫𑁆 (-am), from Proto-Dravidian *-am.

• IPA^(key): /ɐm/

-அம் • (-am) (highly productive)

1. general noun formative suffix.
2. forms verbal nouns.

   ‎மாற்று (māṟṟu, “to change”) + ‎-அம் (-am) → ‎மாற்றம் (māṟṟam, “change”)

3. forms abstract nouns.

• Removal of the m makes the word an adjective.
  • Ex: மரம் (maram, “tree”) → மர (mara, “wooden”)

• University of Madras (1924–1936), “அம்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press