-ón

From Latin -ōne(m), accusative of -ō (3^rd declension noun suffix).

• IPA^(key): /ˈuŋ/

-ón m (plural -oìn, feminine -ónn-a)

1. Emphasizes that something is large, grand, intense, important

   ‎mêgo (“physician”) + ‎-ón → ‎mêgón (“healer”)

2. Used with a verb stem to form agent nouns

   ‎giastemâ (“to blaspheme”) + ‎-ón → ‎giastemón (“blasphemer”)

• IPA^(key): /on/, [õn]

Probably from the ending of Latin words belonging to the Third Declension (-ō, -ōnem), used sometimes to change the sense or usage of original term. In this case, Spanish -on would be cognate to Portuguese -ão, Italian -one and French -on.

-ón m (feminine -ona, plural -ones, feminine plural -onas)

1. emphasizes that something is large, grand, intense, important

   ‎problema + ‎-ón → ‎problemón (“a big trouble”)

2. indicates that someone or something has large attributes, or larger than usual

   ‎ceja + ‎-ón → ‎cejón (“having large eyebrows”)

   ‎cabeza + ‎-ón → ‎cabezón (“having large head”)

3. for few cases, indicates that something is used wrong or frequently (forming adjectives and or nouns)

   ‎boca + ‎-ón → ‎bocón (“big-mouth, big-mouthed, boastful”)

4. emphasizes contempt for subject
5. forms a noun from a different (usually larger) but related or similar one

   ‎silla (“chair”) + ‎-ón → ‎sillón (“armchair”)

   ‎caja (“box”) + ‎-ón → ‎cajón (“drawer”)

6. suffixed to verbs, doing something repeatedly or often

   ‎llorar + ‎-ón → ‎llorón (“something or someone that cries”)

   ‎mirar + ‎-ón → ‎mirón (“something or someone that watches”)

7. for very few cases, indicates small size of or a lack of something (such as an ironic augmentative)

   ‎pelo + ‎-ón → ‎pelón (“with little or no hair”)

   ‎rabo + ‎-ón → ‎rabón (“with little or no tail”)

   ‎rata (“rat”) + ‎-ón → ‎ratón (“mouse”)

   ‎tapa + ‎-ón → ‎tapón (“cork, stopper, a little cover or lid”)

   ‎monte + ‎-ón → ‎montón (“heap, pile, a "little mountain"”); although its origin may be a comparison with a little mountain of something, it also means "big amount"

• The suffix produces adjectives or nouns.
• Some Spanish words ending with this suffix have neither a Latin nor a Greek etymology, but an Arabic one:
  • algodón, rincón, limón
• Many Spanish words end with -on (lacking a written accent, being always paroxytone), but most of those cases is an inflection for the third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes) preterite indicative form of a verb:
  • amaron, hablaron, corrieron, dijeron, etc.

• -azo
• -oso
• -ote
• -udo

From the ending of latinized terms of Ancient Greek words belonging to the Third Declension, applied in the Middle Modern Age to form scientific terms.

-ón

1. (chemistry) ending of every chemical element belonging only to the noble gases group, except helium (in spanish helio)

   neón, kriptón, argón, xenón, radón

2. (nuclear physics) ending of most or every subatomic particle

   protón, electrón, neutrón, bosón, hadrón

• Aside from the group of noble gases, 1 element in the periodic table ends with "a" (plata), 1 with "c" (zinc), 2 with "e" (azufre, cobre), 1 with "l" (níquel), 1 with "r" (flúor), none with "ón" and the rest with "o"; boron = boro, carbon = carbono (carbón means charcoal), silicon = silicio