-sam

From Old High German -sam, from samo (“the same”) and also sama (“similary”). From Proto-Germanic *samaz, from Proto-Indo-European *somHós. Cognate with English -some and Dutch -zaam.

• IPA^(key): /zaːm/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /zam/ (regional; including western Germany)

-sam

1. Used to form adjectives from verbs, nouns, and other adjectives; expressing similarity or the possession of a quality.

   ‎Tugend (“virtue”) + ‎-sam → ‎tugendsam (“of virtue, virtuous”)

   ‎aufmerken (“to observe”) + ‎-sam → ‎aufmerksam (“observant, attentive”)

   ‎lang (“long, lengthy”) + ‎-sam → ‎langsam (“slow”)

2. Used to form adjectives from verbs; expressing the ability to undergo some action.

   ‎biegen (“to bend”) + ‎-sam → ‎biegsam (“flexible, bendable”)

• The suffix is now of very limited productivity at most.

• (ability to undergo some action): -bar; -abel

-sam

1. accusative feminine singular of -sus

From Old Norse -samr

-sam

1. used to form adjectives

• “-sam” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

-sam

1. -some; creating adjectives, mostly out of nouns

• -lig
• sam-