Jump to content

-y

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

[edit]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology 1

[edit]

    From Middle English -y, -i, from Old English -iġ (-y, -ic, suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-īgaz (-y, -ic), from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ikos, *-iḱos (-y, -ic).

    Cognate with Scots -ie (-y), West Frisian -ich (-y), Dutch -ig (-y), Low German -ig (-y), German -ig (-y), Swedish -ig (-y), Gothic -𐌹𐌲𐍃 (-igs, -y), Latin -icus (-y, -ic), Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós), Sanskrit -इक (-ika). Doublet of -ac and -ic.

    Suffix

    [edit]

    -y

    1. Added to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives meaning “having the quality of”, either “involving the referent” or “analogous to it”.
      mess + ‎-y → ‎messy
      mouse + ‎-y → ‎mousy
      blue + ‎-y → ‎bluey
      clay + ‎-y → ‎clayey
      tree + ‎-y → ‎treey
      hole + ‎-y → ‎holey
      sponge + ‎-y → ‎spongy
      cake + ‎-y → ‎caky
      dice + ‎-y → ‎dicey
      guts + ‎-y → ‎gutsy
      • 2003, Cory Doctorow, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom[1], Macmillan, →ISBN:
        Tim keeps trying to make it all more impressionistic, less computer-y.
    2. Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to".
      run + ‎-y → ‎runny
      panic + ‎-y → ‎panicky
      twiddle + ‎-y → ‎twiddly
    Usage notes
    [edit]
    • This suffix is extremely productive and can be added to almost any word. When the resulting word is not quite an established or formal word yet (but rather a nonce word or a casualism), a hyphen is often used before the suffix (sandcastlesandcastle-y, tomato-y, etc.); this is sometimes also used when an established term is used very literally, as a form of clarification (healthhealth-y (relating to health), distinct from healthy (in a state of wellness)).
    • The final consonant is doubled just like any other vowel suffix. For example, ififfy.
    • For nouns and adjectives ending in Y, -ey is added. For example, clayclayey.
    • Nouns and adjectives ending in a silent E often drop this. For example, easeeasy.
    • A few long-established words ending with this suffix have distinctive spellings, such as wintry and fiery, which English learners might misspell as *wintery and *firey.
    Synonyms
    [edit]
    • (form “having quality of” adjectives, denoting “involving the referent”): -al, -an, -ial, -ian, -ly, -ous
    • (form “having quality of” adjectives, denoting “analogous to the referent”): -esque, -ish, -like, -ly, -oid
    Antonyms
    [edit]
    • (antonym(s) of form “having quality of” adjectives): -less
    Derived terms
    [edit]
    Translations
    [edit]

    Note: translations of English words ending in -y do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

    Etymology 2

    [edit]

      Cognate with Scots -ie, being inherited directly from the same source Middle English -ie, -i, from Old English -iġ (-ie, -y, diminutive suffix), possibly from Proto-West Germanic *-ij-, *-j- (diminutive suffix).

      Not related with Dutch -je, -ie, regional Low German -je, which are from Proto-West Germanic *-ikīn (English -kin as in lambkin), nor with German -i, which is from Proto-West Germanic *-īn (English -en as in maiden). The vowel /i/ has an onomatopoeic quality to it, which may reinforce its occurrence in diminutives.

      Alternative forms

      [edit]

      Suffix

      [edit]

      -y

      1. Forming diminutive nouns.
        Synonyms: (suffixes) -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -ette, -icle, -ie, -kin, -le, -let, -ling, -ole, -ule, (prefixes) mini-, micro-, nano-
        gran(nam) + ‎-y → ‎granny
        pin(afore) + ‎-y → ‎pinny
        (s)tom(ach) + ‎-y → ‎tummy
      2. Forming familiar names, pet names, nicknames and terms of endearment.
        And(rew) + ‎-y → ‎Andy
        Bill + ‎-y → ‎Billy
        John + ‎-y → ‎Johnny
        Jones + ‎-y → ‎Jonesy
        love + ‎-y → ‎lovey
      3. Added for metrical reasons to songs, often in children's music where it may carry diminutive associations.
      4. (occasionally derogatory) Forming colloquial nouns signifying the person or thing associated with suffixed noun or verb.
        fridge + ‎-y → ‎fridgy (fridge magnet)
        junk + ‎-y → ‎junky
        town + ‎-y → ‎towny
      5. Forming nouns relative to an adjective.
        bald + ‎-y → ‎baldy
        dum(b) + ‎-y → ‎dummy
        right + ‎-y → ‎righty
      6. Forming colloquial interjections or phrases.
        alright + ‎-y → ‎alrighty
        oops + ‎-y → ‎oopsy
        right + ‎-y → ‎righty
        wake + ‎-y → ‎wakey
      Synonyms
      [edit]
      Derived terms
      [edit]
      Translations
      [edit]

      Note: translations of English words ending in -y do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

      Etymology 3

      [edit]

        From Middle English -y, -ie, -ee, -e, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French -ie and , from Latin -ia, -ium, -tās, Ancient Greek -ίᾱ (-íā), -ειᾰ (-eiă), -ιον (-ion). Cognate (as far as Latin -ia is involved) with German -ei and Dutch -ij.

        Suffix

        [edit]

        -y

        1. Forming abstract nouns denoting a condition, quality, or state.
          modest + ‎-y → ‎modesty
          honest + ‎-y → ‎honesty
          -nym + ‎-y → ‎-nymy
          as in toponym + ‎-y → ‎toponymy
          -logue + ‎-y → ‎-logy
          as in analogue + ‎-y → ‎analogy
        2. Used in the name of some locations which end in -ia in Latin.
          Italy, Germany, Saxony, Hungary, Sicily, Lombardy, Tuscany, Albany, Brittany, Gascony, Burgundy, Picardy, Normandy, Romandy, Savoy, Muscovy, Tartary, Arcady, Thessaly, Troy, Turkey.
        Derived terms
        [edit]
        Translations
        [edit]

        Note: translations of English words ending in -y do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

        Etymology 4

        [edit]

          Inherited from Middle English -y, -ie, for earlier -ien, from the Old English weak class 2 infinitival suffix -ian, -iġan, by syncope from earlier *-ōjan, North Sea Germanic form of Proto-West Germanic *-ōn, from Proto-Germanic *-ōną; reinforced by the suffix -ian, -ġan in Old English verbs of weak class 1 with roots ending in -r (and the exceptional strong class 6 verb swerian). Compare -en (infinitive ending).

          Alternative forms

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y

          1. (West Country, obsolete) Denotes the infinitive of verbs when used intransitively.
            • June 1746, “An Exmoor Scolding”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, volume 16, London: Edward Cave, page 354:
              But thee, thee wut ruckee, and ſquattee, and doatee in the chimly coander lick an axwaddle; and wi’ the zame tha wut rakee up, and gookee, and tell doil, tell dildrams and buckingham jenkins.
            • 1886, Frederic Thomas Elworthy, “Gig, Gig-mill”, in The West Somerset Word-Book, volume 1, London: Trübner & Co., page 284:
              Where's your Tom now? Au! he do worky down to factory— he've a-workèd to the gig's two year
            • 2008 March 18 [c. 1955], Suzanne Wagner, “English dialects in the Southwest: morphology and syntax”, in Bernd Kortmann, Clive Upton, editors, Varieties of English, volume 1: The British Isles, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, →DOI, →ISBN, page 432:
              d. wiː də ˈbɽɪŋ æʊɽ ˈʃiːp ɪn l̴ami / ‘We bring our sheep in (to) lamb.’ (36 Co 6, book I)
          Usage notes
          [edit]
          • This suffix can be added to any verb regardless of its class in Old or Middle English.

          Afar

          [edit]

          Etymology 1

          [edit]

          Pronunciation

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y (clitic)

          1. Used to form an interrogative copulative sentence: is it?
            Qafár af macáy?What is the Afar language?

          Etymology 2

          [edit]

          Pronunciation

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y (clitic)

          1. Used to join together noun phrases: and, also
            • Saytun Qhuraan kee kay maqnah tarjamaty Qafar afal tani [The clear Qur'an and its explanation translated into the Afar language]‎[2], Suurat Al-Faatica, verse 1:
              Fulte Racmattaay, Gunê Racmattale Yallih Migaaqal Qimbisa.
              I begin in the name of God, who gives mercy and surpasses mercy.
          Usage notes
          [edit]
          • When following a short vowel, -y lengthens that vowel:
            gaalá (camel) + ‎-y → ‎gaaláay (and the camels)

          References

          [edit]
          • E. M. Parker; R. J. Hayward (1985), An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN, page 282; 292
          • Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015), L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)[3], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis), page 447

          Asturian

          [edit]

          Alternative forms

          [edit]

          Pronunciation

          [edit]

          Pronoun

          [edit]

          -y

          1. him, her, it (third-person singular indirect pronoun)
            Da-y pan
            Give him bread

          Usage notes

          [edit]

          It is always spelled with the hyphen, unlike other pronouns in the language.

          [edit]
          • -yos, -ys (third-person plural indirect pronoun)

          Czech

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y (adverb-forming suffix)

          1. -ly: from adjectives forms adverbs
            logický + ‎-y → ‎logicky

          Derived terms

          [edit]

          Further reading

          [edit]
          • -y in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

          Egyptian

          [edit]

          Pronunciation

          [edit]

          Etymology 1

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Forms the plural imperative of verbs, particularly weak verbs.
          2. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally used to form the subjunctive of weak verbs.
          Usage notes
          [edit]

          The plural imperative can also appear without this suffix, in a form identical to the singular imperative.

          Etymology 2

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. Forms agent nouns from verbs.

          Etymology 3

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the masculine imperfective active participle, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
          Alternative forms
          [edit]

          Etymology 4

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the masculine singular perfective passive participle of strong verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
          Alternative forms
          [edit]

          Etymology 5

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective passive participle of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
          2. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective relative form of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
          3. (Late Egyptian) Marks the perfective passive participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.
          4. (Late Egyptian) Occasionally marks the perfective active participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.
          Alternative forms
          [edit]

          Etymology 6

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]
          ii
          1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Rarely marks the imperfective relative form of all verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
          Alternative forms
          [edit]

          References

          [edit]
          • James P[eter] Allen (2010), Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 328–329, 354.
          • Junge, Friedrich (2005), Late Egyptian Grammar: An Introduction, second English edition, Oxford: Griffith Institute, page 66

          Finnish

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y

          1. Front vowel variant of -u.

          Declension

          [edit]
          Inflection of -y (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
          nominative -y -yt
          genitive -yn -yjen
          partitive -yä -yjä
          illative -yyn -yihin
          singular plural
          nominative -y -yt
          accusative nom. -y -yt
          gen. -yn
          genitive -yn -yjen
          partitive -yä -yjä
          inessive -yssä -yissä
          elative -ystä -yistä
          illative -yyn -yihin
          adessive -yllä -yillä
          ablative -yltä -yiltä
          allative -ylle -yille
          essive -ynä -yinä
          translative -yksi -yiksi
          abessive -yttä -yittä
          instructive -yin
          comitative See the possessive forms below.
          Possessive forms of -y (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
          first-person singular possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -yni -yni
          accusative nom. -yni -yni
          gen. -yni
          genitive -yni -yjeni
          partitive -yäni -yjäni
          inessive -yssäni -yissäni
          elative -ystäni -yistäni
          illative -yyni -yihini
          adessive -ylläni -yilläni
          ablative -yltäni -yiltäni
          allative -ylleni -yilleni
          essive -ynäni -yinäni
          translative -ykseni -yikseni
          abessive -yttäni -yittäni
          instructive
          comitative -yineni
          second-person singular possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ysi -ysi
          accusative nom. -ysi -ysi
          gen. -ysi
          genitive -ysi -yjesi
          partitive -yäsi -yjäsi
          inessive -yssäsi -yissäsi
          elative -ystäsi -yistäsi
          illative -yysi -yihisi
          adessive -ylläsi -yilläsi
          ablative -yltäsi -yiltäsi
          allative -yllesi -yillesi
          essive -ynäsi -yinäsi
          translative -yksesi -yiksesi
          abessive -yttäsi -yittäsi
          instructive
          comitative -yinesi
          first-person plural possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ymme -ymme
          accusative nom. -ymme -ymme
          gen. -ymme
          genitive -ymme -yjemme
          partitive -yämme -yjämme
          inessive -yssämme -yissämme
          elative -ystämme -yistämme
          illative -yymme -yihimme
          adessive -yllämme -yillämme
          ablative -yltämme -yiltämme
          allative -yllemme -yillemme
          essive -ynämme -yinämme
          translative -yksemme -yiksemme
          abessive -yttämme -yittämme
          instructive
          comitative -yinemme
          second-person plural possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ynne -ynne
          accusative nom. -ynne -ynne
          gen. -ynne
          genitive -ynne -yjenne
          partitive -yänne -yjänne
          inessive -yssänne -yissänne
          elative -ystänne -yistänne
          illative -yynne -yihinne
          adessive -yllänne -yillänne
          ablative -yltänne -yiltänne
          allative -yllenne -yillenne
          essive -ynänne -yinänne
          translative -yksenne -yiksenne
          abessive -yttänne -yittänne
          instructive
          comitative -yinenne
          third-person possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ynsä -ynsä
          accusative nom. -ynsä -ynsä
          gen. -ynsä
          genitive -ynsä -yjensä
          partitive -yään
          -yänsä
          -yjään
          -yjänsä
          inessive -yssään
          -yssänsä
          -yissään
          -yissänsä
          elative -ystään
          -ystänsä
          -yistään
          -yistänsä
          illative -yynsä -yihinsä
          adessive -yllään
          -yllänsä
          -yillään
          -yillänsä
          ablative -yltään
          -yltänsä
          -yiltään
          -yiltänsä
          allative -ylleen
          -yllensä
          -yilleen
          -yillensä
          essive -ynään
          -ynänsä
          -yinään
          -yinänsä
          translative -ykseen
          -yksensä
          -yikseen
          -yiksensä
          abessive -yttään
          -yttänsä
          -yittään
          -yittänsä
          instructive
          comitative -yineen
          -yinensä
          Inflection of -y (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation)
          nominative -y -yt
          genitive -yn -yjen
          -yiden
          -yitten
          partitive -yä -yjä
          -yitä
          illative -yyn -yihin
          singular plural
          nominative -y -yt
          accusative nom. -y -yt
          gen. -yn
          genitive -yn -yjen
          -yiden
          -yitten
          partitive -yä -yjä
          -yitä
          inessive -yssä -yissä
          elative -ystä -yistä
          illative -yyn -yihin
          adessive -yllä -yillä
          ablative -yltä -yiltä
          allative -ylle -yille
          essive -ynä -yinä
          translative -yksi -yiksi
          abessive -yttä -yittä
          instructive -yin
          comitative See the possessive forms below.
          Possessive forms of -y (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation)
          first-person singular possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -yni -yni
          accusative nom. -yni -yni
          gen. -yni
          genitive -yni -yjeni
          -yideni
          -yitteni
          partitive -yäni -yjäni
          -yitäni
          inessive -yssäni -yissäni
          elative -ystäni -yistäni
          illative -yyni -yihini
          adessive -ylläni -yilläni
          ablative -yltäni -yiltäni
          allative -ylleni -yilleni
          essive -ynäni -yinäni
          translative -ykseni -yikseni
          abessive -yttäni -yittäni
          instructive
          comitative -yineni
          second-person singular possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ysi -ysi
          accusative nom. -ysi -ysi
          gen. -ysi
          genitive -ysi -yjesi
          -yidesi
          -yittesi
          partitive -yäsi -yjäsi
          -yitäsi
          inessive -yssäsi -yissäsi
          elative -ystäsi -yistäsi
          illative -yysi -yihisi
          adessive -ylläsi -yilläsi
          ablative -yltäsi -yiltäsi
          allative -yllesi -yillesi
          essive -ynäsi -yinäsi
          translative -yksesi -yiksesi
          abessive -yttäsi -yittäsi
          instructive
          comitative -yinesi
          first-person plural possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ymme -ymme
          accusative nom. -ymme -ymme
          gen. -ymme
          genitive -ymme -yjemme
          -yidemme
          -yittemme
          partitive -yämme -yjämme
          -yitämme
          inessive -yssämme -yissämme
          elative -ystämme -yistämme
          illative -yymme -yihimme
          adessive -yllämme -yillämme
          ablative -yltämme -yiltämme
          allative -yllemme -yillemme
          essive -ynämme -yinämme
          translative -yksemme -yiksemme
          abessive -yttämme -yittämme
          instructive
          comitative -yinemme
          second-person plural possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ynne -ynne
          accusative nom. -ynne -ynne
          gen. -ynne
          genitive -ynne -yjenne
          -yidenne
          -yittenne
          partitive -yänne -yjänne
          -yitänne
          inessive -yssänne -yissänne
          elative -ystänne -yistänne
          illative -yynne -yihinne
          adessive -yllänne -yillänne
          ablative -yltänne -yiltänne
          allative -yllenne -yillenne
          essive -ynänne -yinänne
          translative -yksenne -yiksenne
          abessive -yttänne -yittänne
          instructive
          comitative -yinenne
          third-person possessor
          singular plural
          nominative -ynsä -ynsä
          accusative nom. -ynsä -ynsä
          gen. -ynsä
          genitive -ynsä -yjensä
          -yidensä
          -yittensä
          partitive -yään
          -yänsä
          -yjään
          -yitään
          -yjänsä
          -yitänsä
          inessive -yssään
          -yssänsä
          -yissään
          -yissänsä
          elative -ystään
          -ystänsä
          -yistään
          -yistänsä
          illative -yynsä -yihinsä
          adessive -yllään
          -yllänsä
          -yillään
          -yillänsä
          ablative -yltään
          -yltänsä
          -yiltään
          -yiltänsä
          allative -ylleen
          -yllensä
          -yilleen
          -yillensä
          essive -ynään
          -ynänsä
          -yinään
          -yinänsä
          translative -ykseen
          -yksensä
          -yikseen
          -yiksensä
          abessive -yttään
          -yttänsä
          -yittään
          -yittänsä
          instructive
          comitative -yineen
          -yinensä

          Ingrian

          [edit]

          Pronunciation

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y

          1. Front vowel variant of -u

          Declension

          [edit]
          Declension of -y (type 4/koivu, no gradation)
          singular plural
          nominative -y -yt
          genitive -yn -yin, -ylöin
          partitive -yä -yjä, -ylöjä
          illative -yy -yi, -ylöihe
          inessive -ys -yis, -ylöis
          elative -yst -yist, -ylöist
          allative -ylle -yille, -ylöille
          adessive -yl -yil, -ylöil
          ablative -ylt -yilt, -ylöilt
          translative -yks -yiks, -ylöiks
          essive -ynnä, -yyn -yinnä, -ylöinnä, -yin, -ylöin
          exessive1) -ynt -yint, -ylöint
          1) obsolete
          *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl)
          **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

          Derived terms

          [edit]

          Lower Sorbian

          [edit]

          Suffix

          [edit]

          -y

          1. alternative form of -i (used after “hard” consonants)

          Middle English

          [edit]

          Etymology 1

          [edit]

            From Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos. Doublet of -ik.

            Alternative forms

            [edit]

            Pronunciation

            [edit]

            Suffix

            [edit]

            -y

            1. Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by being appended to a noun.
            Derived terms
            [edit]
            Descendants
            [edit]
            • English: -y, -ie, -ey
            • Scots: -ie, -y
            • Yola: -ee
            References
            [edit]

            Etymology 2

            [edit]

            Suffix

            [edit]

            -y

            1. alternative form of -yf

            Etymology 3

            [edit]

              Suffix

              [edit]

              -y

              1. alternative form of -ie

              Etymology 4

              [edit]

                Suffix

                [edit]

                -y

                1. alternative form of -ien (infinitival suffix)

                Northern Ohlone

                [edit]

                Alternative forms

                [edit]
                • -i (after consonants)

                Suffix

                [edit]

                -y (plural -iṭ)

                1. Used to form the imperative mood of verbs

                References

                [edit]
                • María de los Angeles Colós, José Guzman, and John Peabody Harrington (1930s), Chochenyo Field Notes (Survey of California and Other Indian Languages)‎[4], Unpublished

                Old Polish

                [edit]

                Etymology

                [edit]

                  Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ъjь, the definite form of hard-stem adjectives. See *jь.

                  Pronunciation

                  [edit]

                  Suffix

                  [edit]

                  -y

                  1. forms adjectives

                  Derived terms

                  [edit]

                  Descendants

                  [edit]
                  • Polish: -y

                  Polish

                  [edit]

                  Etymology

                  [edit]

                    Inherited from Old Polish -y.

                    Pronunciation

                    [edit]

                    Suffix

                    [edit]

                    -y

                    1. forms adjectives

                    Derived terms

                    [edit]

                    Quechua

                    [edit]

                    Suffix

                    [edit]

                    -y

                    1. Infinitive marker.
                      mikhuy (to eat)
                    2. Nominalizes verbs. The act of doing something. "-ing."
                      pampachay (pardon, remission)
                    3. Indicates first-person singular possessive.
                      mikhuna (food)mikhunay (my food)
                    4. Conjugative suffix for the second-person imperative mood.
                      Uyariway! ("(You) listen to me!")

                    Scots

                    [edit]

                    Suffix

                    [edit]

                    -y

                    1. alternative form of -ie

                    References

                    [edit]

                    Slovincian

                    [edit]

                    Etymology

                    [edit]

                      Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ъjь, the definite form of hard-stem adjectives. See *jь.

                      Pronunciation

                      [edit]

                      Suffix

                      [edit]

                      -y

                      1. forms adjectives
                        aptécznjik + ‎-y → ‎aptécznjiczy

                      Derived terms

                      [edit]