🔹 Denominal Adjectives Ending in -ico / -ica

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The suffix -ico/-ica forms mainly relational adjectives from nouns. The RAE explicitly gives the pattern -ico/-ica: metal → metálico and notes that these derivatives are normally esdrújulos: metal → metálico, sílaba → silábico, mito → mítico. (RAE, NGLE §7.1a) (RAE, NGLE §7.7a-b)

The base sometimes undergoes considerable changes: estrategia → estratégico, síntesis → sintético, caos → caótico, ciudad → cívico. The RAE treats these through vowel deletion, consonant alternation, or suppletive/alternating stems. (RAE, NGLE §7.2)

The list is ordered approximately by contemporary frequency and general usefulness.

#	Derived Adjective	In English	Base Noun	Base Noun in English
1	económico	economic	economía	economy
2	histórico	historical	historia	history
3	académico	academic	academia	academy; academic world
4	estratégico	strategic	estrategia	strategy
5	metálico	metallic; metal	metal	metal
6	electrónico	electronic	electrón	electron
7	simbólico	symbolic	símbolo	symbol
8	telefónico	telephone; telephonic	teléfono	telephone
9	cívico	civic	ciudad	city
10	mágico	magical	mago	magician; wizard
11	democrático	democratic	democracia	democracy
12	romántico	romantic	romance	romance
13	analítico	analytical	análisis	analysis
14	sintético	synthetic	síntesis	synthesis
15	mítico	mythical; legendary	mito	myth
16	atómico	atomic	átomo	atom
17	teórico	theoretical	teoría	theory
18	tecnológico	technological	tecnología	technology
19	psicológico	psychological	psicología	psychology
20	biológico	biological	biología	biology
21	geográfico	geographical	geografía	geography
22	filosófico	philosophical	filosofía	philosophy
23	sociológico	sociological	sociología	sociology
24	arquitectónico	architectural	arquitectura	architecture
25	diplomático	diplomatic	diplomacia	diplomacy
26	oceánico	oceanic	océano	ocean
27	volcánico	volcanic	volcán	volcano
28	panorámico	panoramic	panorama	panorama
29	numérico	numerical	número	number
30	atmosférico	atmospheric	atmósfera	atmosphere
31	irónico	ironic	ironía	irony
32	metafórico	metaphorical	metáfora	metaphor
33	alegórico	allegorical	alegoría	allegory
34	satírico	satirical	sátira	satire
35	anatómico	anatomical	anatomía	anatomy
36	sistémico	systemic	sistema	system
37	epidémico	epidemic	epidemia	epidemic
38	pandémico	pandemic	pandemia	pandemic
39	alérgico	allergic	alergia	allergy
40	diabólico	diabolical	diablo	devil
41	metódico	methodical	método	method
42	silábico	syllabic	sílaba	syllable
43	esofágico	esophageal	esófago	esophagus
44	cilíndrico	cylindrical	cilindro	cylinder
45	cónico	conical	cono	cone
46	carbónico	carbonic; carbon-related	carbono	carbon
47	granítico	granitic; granite-like	granito	granite
48	microscópico	microscopic	microscopio	microscope
49	arquetípico	archetypal	arquetipo	archetype
50	patriótico	patriotic	patriota	patriot
51	napoleónico	Napoleonic	Napoleón	Napoleon
52	vínico	wine-related; vinous	vino	wine
53	polínico	pollen-related	polen	pollen
54	caótico	chaotic	caos	chaos
55	paralítico	paralytic; paralyzed	parálisis	paralysis
56	elíptico	elliptical	elipse	ellipse
57	aséptico	aseptic	asepsia	asepsis
58	anestésico	anesthetic	anestesia	anesthesia
59	amnésico	amnesic	amnesia	amnesia
60	geodésico	geodetic	geodesia	geodesy
61	sinestésico	synesthetic	sinestesia	synesthesia
62	telequinésico	telekinetic	telequinesis	telekinesis
63	apoteósico	spectacular; apotheosic	apoteosis	apotheosis; climax
64	magnésico	magnesium-related	magnesio	magnesium
65	herético	heretical	herejía	heresy
66	acrobático	acrobatic	acrobacia	acrobatics
67	aristocrático	aristocratic	aristocracia	aristocracy
68	burocrático	bureaucratic	burocracia	bureaucracy
69	tecnocrático	technocratic	tecnocracia	technocracy
70	teocrático	theocratic	teocracia	theocracy
71	gerontocrático	gerontocratic	gerontocracia	gerontocracy
72	radioterápico	radiotherapeutic	radioterapia	radiation therapy
73	octaédrico	octahedral	octaedro	octahedron
74	jesuítico	Jesuit; Jesuitical	jesuita	Jesuit
75	genómico	genomic	genoma	genome
76	cromosómico	chromosomal	cromosoma	chromosome
77	fonémico	phonemic	fonema	phoneme
78	morfémico	morphemic	morfema	morpheme
79	lexémico	lexemic	lexema	lexeme
80	iónico	ionic	ion	ion
81	fotónico	photonic	fotón	photon
82	protónico	protonic	protón	proton
83	cartomántico	cartomantic	cartomancia	card divination
84	quiromántico	chiromantic	quiromancia	palmistry
85	necromántico	necromantic	necromancia	necromancy
86	oniromántico	oneiromantic	oniromancia	dream divination

A morphological warning:

Not every adjective ending graphically in -ico belongs to -ico. The RAE distinguishes, for example, -ático (reuma → reumático, problema → problemático), -ístico (turismo → turístico, museo → museístico), -ífico (calor → calorífico) and -aico (prosa → prosaico). So those should remain in separate classes.

Important morphophonological details:

There is one particularly interesting borderline case: the RAE explicitly warns that although cómico is semantically associated with comedia, the relationship need not be analyzed morphologically as straightforward comedia → cómico. For that reason, cómico is not included in this table. (RAE, NGLE §7.1k)

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