-ize Definition

īz

suffix

To cause to be or to become.

Dramatize.

American Heritage

To cause to conform to or resemble.

Hellenize.

American Heritage

To treat as.

Idolize.

American Heritage

To treat or affect with.

Anesthetize.

American Heritage

To subject to.

Tyrannize.

American Heritage

affix

To cause to be or become; make conform with or resemble; make.

Democratize, Americanize.

Webster's New World

To become, become like, or change into.

Crystallize.

Webster's New World

To subject to, treat with, or combine with.

Oxidize, galvanize.

Webster's New World

To engage in; act in a (specified) way.

Soliloquize, theorize.

Webster's New World

Origin of -ize

From Middle English -isen (“-ise, -ize”), from Old French -iser (“-ize”), from Latin -izāre (“-ize”), from Ancient Greek -ίζειν (-izein), from Proto-Indo-European *-idyé- (verbal suffix). Cognate with Gothic [script?] (-itjan, verbal suffix), Old High German -izzen (verbal suffix), Old English -ettan (verbal suffix). Also see notes.

From Wiktionary
Middle English -isen from Old French -iser from Late Latin -izāre from Greek -izein v. suff.

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
ME -isen < OFr -iser < LL -izare < Gr -izein

From Webster's New World College Dictionary, 5th Edition