-ary

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

-ary, 

1. suffix. 
   • -ary is attached to some nouns to form adjectives with the meaning: "relating to, connected with'': element + -ary → elementary;
     honor + -ary → honorary.
   • -ary is attached to some roots to form personal nouns, or nouns that refer to objects that hold or contain things: secretary;
     -libr- (= root meaning "book'') + -ary → library (= place for holding books);
     glossary (= place containing specialized words and their meanings).
   • -ary is attached to some nouns to form adjectives with the meanings "contributing to;
     for the purpose of'': inflation + -ary → inflationary (= contributing to inflation);
     compliment + -ary → complimentary (= for the purpose of complimenting).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-ary suffix

1. (forming adjectives) of; related to; belonging to: cautionary, rudimentary
2. (forming nouns) a person connected with or engaged in: missionary
3. a thing relating to; a place for: commentary, aviary

Etymology: from Latin -ārius,-āria,-ārium

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ar•y  (âr′ē), adj. [Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.]

1. Dialect Terms any;
   anyone.
2. Dialect Terms none, not any;
   nary.

• alteration of e'er a ever a, in sense "any'' 1810–20

-ary, 

1. a suffix occurring originally in loanwords from Classical and Medieval Latin, on adjectives (elementary;
   honorary;
   stationary;
   tributary), personal nouns (actuary;
   notary;
   secretary), or nouns denoting objects, esp. receptacles or places (library;
   rosary;
   glossary). The suffix has the general sense "pertaining to, connected with'' the referent named by the base;
   it is productive in English, sometimes with the additional senses "contributing to,'' "for the purpose of,'' and usually forming adjectives:
   complimentary;
   revolutionary;
   inflationary.

• Latin -ārius, -a, -um; English personal nouns reflect -ārius, objects and places -ārium or -āria; inherited and adopted French forms of this suffix are -er², -eer, -ier², -aire; compare -er¹
• Middle English -arie