1. -ic a suffix forming adjectives from other parts of speech, occurring orig. in Greek and Latin loanwords (metallic; poetic; archaic; public) and, on this model, used as an adjective-forming suffix with the particular senses “having some characteristics of” (opposed to the simple attributive use of the base noun) (balletic; sophomoric); “in the style of” (Byronic; Miltonic); “pertaining to a family of peoples or languages” (Finnic; Semitic; Turkic). ferric chloride.
2. -ic a nounsuffix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where such words were orig. adjectival (critic; magic; music).
Etymology: (ME -ic, -ik < L -icus or Gk -ikos)
Definition of '-ic'
Webster Dictionary
1. -ic a suffix signifying, in general, relating to, or characteristic of; as, historic, hygienic, telegraphic, etc
2. -ic a suffix, denoting that the element indicated enters into certain compounds with its highest valence, or with a valence relatively higher than in compounds where the name of the element ends in -ous; as, ferric, sulphuric. It is also used in the generalsense of pertaining to; as, hydric, sodic, calcic
Definitions of -ic 
