-ity

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Suffix 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Synonyms 1.3.4 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: [ɪtɪ]; but see the usage notes below

[edit] Etymology

From Old French -ité, from Latin -itas

[edit] Suffix

-ity

1. Used to form a noun from an adjective; especially, to form the noun referring to the state, property, or quality of conforming to the adjective's description.
2. Used to form other nouns, especially abstract nouns.

[edit] Usage notes

• Many nouns formed with -ity are uncountable; those that are countable form their plurals in -ities.
• The addition of -ity to an adjective results in a shift of stress to the antepenultimate syllable; that is, words in -ity are stressed on the last syllable before the -ity, even in cases where this syllable is part of another suffix (as in words in -ability, -ivity, and -icity). Further, this shift typically results in a change in vowel quality; compare, for example, real and reality, where the sound [æ] in the second word is not present in the first. These vowel quality changes are usually consistent with the spelling of both forms — note that the letter <a> in the second word is present in the first — but is pronounced [k], before -ity it becomes [s]; compare, for example, elastic and elasticity.
• Final -e is dropped before adding this suffix.

[edit] Derived terms

• -ability
• -ality
• -ibility
• -icity
• -ivity
• -osity

[edit] Synonyms

• -cy
• -ism
• -ness
• -tion

[edit] Translations