-y

See also: Appendix:Variations of "y"

English

Pronunciation

enPR: -ē, IPA^(key): /-i/
Audio (Southern England): (file)

Alternative forms

-e, -ey, -ie
-i- (when followed by another suffix)

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Germanic *-gaz

Proto-West Germanic *-g

Old English -iġ

Middle English -y

English -y

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

-y (adjective-forming suffix, comparative -ier, superlative -iest)

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.
Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to".
‎run + ‎-y → ‎runny

‎panic + ‎-y → ‎panicky

‎twiddle + ‎-y → ‎twiddly
(chiefly informal, rare) Added to adjectives to form informal synonyms or adjectives meaning "somewhat, rather".
‎bald + ‎-y → ‎baldy

‎bitter + ‎-y → ‎bittery

‎posh + ‎-y → ‎poshy

‎sick + ‎-y → ‎sicky

‎sour + ‎-y → ‎soury

‎tart + ‎-y → ‎tarty

‎yellow + ‎-y → ‎yellowy

Usage notes

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 (sandcastle → sandcastle-y, tomato-y, etc.); this is sometimes also used when an established term is used very literally, as a form of clarification (health → health-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, if → iffy.
For nouns and adjectives ending in Y, -ey is added. For example, clay → clayey. But especially for less common or nonce words, some write -y instead: clay-y.
Nouns and adjectives ending in a silent E often drop it. For example, ease → easy.
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 (the latter misspelling being common even among native speakers).

Synonyms

(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

(antonym(s) of “form “having quality of” adjectives”): -less

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -y (adjectival)

any

Translations

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

having the quality of

Asturian: -osu m, -osa f
Dutch: -ig (nl)
Finnish: -inen (fi)
Galician: -oso (gl) m, -osa (gl) f, -ento (gl)
Georgian: -ური (-uri), -ული (-uli)
German: -ig (de)
Hungarian: -os (hu), -as (hu), -es (hu), -ös (hu), -s (hu)
Irish: -ach
Italian: -oso (it)
Japanese: -質 (-しつ, -shitsu), -状 (-じょう, -jou), -みたい (ja) (mitai), -様な (ja) (ような, youna), -有り (ja) (-ari), -付き (ja) (-tsuki)
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: -î (ku), -în (ku)
Latin: -osus (la) m
Middle English: -y
Norwegian: -ig
Polish: -owy (pl), -ny (pl)
Portuguese: -oso (pt)
Romanian: -os (ro)
Russian: -ий (ru) (-ij), -ый (ru) (-yj), -ивый (-ivyj)
Sanskrit: -इक (-ika), -इन् (-in)
Spanish: -iento (es) m, -oso (es) m, -iego (es) m
Swedish: -ig (sv), -aktig (sv)
Tagalog: ma- (tl)
Tamil: -ஆன (-āṉa)
Ukrainian: -ий (-yj)

inclined to

Finnish: -va (fi), -vä (fi)
Galician: -ento (gl) m
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: -ok (ku)
Polish: -liwy (pl)
Portuguese: -ento (pt)
Russian: -ий (ru) (-ij), -ый (ru) (-yj), -ивый (-ivyj)
Spanish: -ento (es), -iento (es)
Swedish: -ig (sv)
Ukrainian: -ий (-yj)

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

Translations to be checked

German: ^{(please verify)} -ig (de)

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij-

Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī

Old English -iġ

Middle English -y

English -y

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

-ie, -ey, -ee

Suffix

-y (noun-forming suffix, plural -ies)

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
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
Added for metrical reasons to songs, often in children's music where it may carry diminutive associations.
(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
Forming nouns relative to an adjective.
‎bald + ‎-y → ‎baldy

‎dum(b) + ‎-y → ‎dummy

‎right + ‎-y → ‎righty
Forming colloquial interjections or phrases.
‎alright + ‎-y → ‎alrighty

‎oops + ‎-y → ‎oopsy

‎right + ‎-y → ‎righty

‎wake + ‎-y → ‎wakey
Forming childish variants of verbs.
‎eat + ‎-y → ‎eaty

‎sleep + ‎-y → ‎sleepy

‎touch + ‎-y → ‎touchy

Synonyms

(diminutive): mini-, micro-, nano-, -ette, -ee, -icle/-cule/-ule/-ole

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive)

English terms suffixed with -y (familiar)

English terms suffixed with -y (associated)

English terms suffixed with -y (nominalizer)

Translations

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

forming diminutive nouns

Armenian: -իկ (-ik), -ուկ (-uk), -ակ (-ak)
Asturian: -ín (ast) m, -ina (ast) f
Catalan: -et (ca) m, -eta (ca) f
Chinese:
Mandarin: 子 (zh) (zǐ), 兒 / 儿 (zh) (ér)
Dutch: -je (nl), -tje (nl), -etje (nl), -pje (nl), -ie (nl), -ken (nl), -ke (nl), -che, -kijn (nl)
Esperanto: -et- (eo)
Finnish: -nen (fi)
French: -et (fr) m, -ette (fr) f, -in (fr) m, -ine (fr) f
Galician: -iño (gl)
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
German: -chen (de), -lein (de), -i (de), -erl (de)
Hebrew: ־ון m (-ón), ־ית f (-ít)
Hungarian: -ka (hu), -ke (hu)
Interlingua: -etto m or n, -etta f or n
Irish: -ín m
Italian: -etto m, -etta f, -ino (it) m, -ina (it) f
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: -ik (ku), -ok (ku)
Low German:
Middle Low German: -eken
Mansi:
Northern Mansi: ^{(please verify)} -кве (-kve)
Neapolitan: -illo
Polish: -ek (pl) m, -ka (pl) f, -ko (pl) n
Portuguese: -inho (pt)
Romanian: -uț m, -aș (ro) m, -ior m, -el (ro) m, -ușor m, -uleț (ro) m, -uță (ro) f, -iță (ro) f, -ică (ro) f, -ioară f
Russian: -ик (ru) m (-ik), -ок (ru) m (-ok), -ек (ru) m (-ek), -ёк (ru) m (-jók), -ка (ru) f (-ka), -ко (ru) n (-ko), -це (ru) (-ce), -цо (-co)
Spanish: -ito (es) m, -ita (es) f, -iño m, -iña f, -ico (es) m, -ica (es) f, -uelo (es) m, -uela (es) f, -illo (es) m, -illa (es) f, -ino (es) m, -ina (es) f, -ucho (es) m, -ucha (es) f, -ete (es) m, -eta (es) f, -uco (es) m, -uca (es) f, -iello m, -illa (es) f, -ullo m, -ulla f, -ejo (es) m, -eja f
Swedish: -is (sv)
Turkish: -cık (tr), -cik (tr), -cuk (tr), -cük (tr), -çık (tr), -çik (tr), -çuk (tr), -çük (tr), -cak, -cağız, -ceğiz
Welsh: -ig m or f, -cyn m, -os m pl or f pl

forming familiar names

Japanese: ちゃん (ja) (chan)
Polish: -ś (pl) m

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós

Proto-Italic *-ijos

Proto-Italic *-ios

Old Latin -ios

Latin -ius

Latin -ia

Old French -ieder.

Middle English -ie

Middle English -y

English -y

From Middle English -y, -ie, -ee, -e, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French -ie and -é, 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

-y (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -ies)

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
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

English terms suffixed with -y (abstract noun)

English terms suffixed with -y (location)

ewery

Saxony

Turkey

Translations

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

forming abstract nouns

Armenian: -ություն (-utʻyun)
Dutch: -heid (nl), -nis (nl)
Finnish: -uus (fi), -yys (fi)
French: -é (fr)
Galician: -dade (gl) f
Georgian: სი- -ე (si- -e)
German: -heit (de), -keit (de), -nis (de)
Hungarian: -ság (hu), -ség (hu)
Italian: -à
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: -î (ku), -yî (ku), -tî (ku)
Latin: -ia (la), -ium (la), -tas
Polish: -ość (pl) f, -stwo (pl) n
Portuguese: -ia (pt) f, -idade (pt) f
Romanian: -ie (ro), -ime (ro), -itate (ro), -enie
Spanish: -ia (es), -tad, -dad (es), -ie, -io (es), -tud, -edumbre
Swedish: -het (sv), -dom (sv), -skap (sv), -else (sv)
Ukrainian: -ий m (-yj)

used in the name of some locations ending in -ia in Latin

French: -ie (fr) f
Polish: -ia (pl) f
Russian: -ия f (-ija)
Spanish: -ía (es) f, -ia (es) f

Etymology 4

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

-ee

Suffix

-y

(West Country, obsolete) Denotes the infinitive of verbs when used intransitively.
- c. Early 18^th century, Peter Lock of North-Moulton or whereabouts (author of the original manuscript), quoting Wilmot, “Bout the Second”, in An Exmoor Scolding, Exeter: A. Brice & B. Thorn (printers and sellers), published November 1771, page 10:
  But thee, thee wut ruckee, and ſquattee, and doattee in the Chimly Coander lick an Axwaddle ; and wi' the zame tha wut rakee up, and gookee, and tell doil, tell Dildrams^{[note 1]} and Buckingham Jenkins.^{[note 2]}
  But you, you would crouch and squat, and dote at the chimley corner like an ash-waddler^{[note 3]}; then in the same way you would rake up and gook^{[note 4]}, rave^{[note 5]}, and prate nonsense and old wives' tales.
- 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

This suffix could be added to any verb regardless of its conjugation in Old or Middle English.

Translation notes

^ “To talk strangely and out of the Way.” (An Exmoor Scolding, A. Brice; B. Thorn, 1771, A Vocabulary or Glossary, D, s.v. To tell Dildrams […], page 43)
^ “[S]eems to be an Allusion to some old incredible Story or Ballad concerning one Jenkins of Buckingham[.]” (ibidem)
^ A collector and dealer of ashes. (ib., p. 40 s.v. An Axwaddle or Axwaddler)
^ “To have an awkward nodding of the Head, or bending of the Body backward and forward.” (ib., p. 45 s.v. To Gookee)
^ Literally “tell delirium”, doil likely being from an old, unattested French reflex of Latin delirium.

Afar

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-j/ [-j]

Suffix

-y (clitic)

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

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-j/ [-j]

Suffix

-y (clitic)

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

When following a short vowel, -y lengthens that vowel:
‎gaalá (“camel”) + ‎-y → ‎gaaláay (“and the camels”)

References

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

Alternative forms

-ye (Western)
-ḷḷe (Patsuezu)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /i/

Pronoun

-y

(third-person singular indirect pronoun), dative of elli, ella, and ello: (to) him/her/it
Da-y pan
Give him bread

Usage notes

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

Related terms

-yos, -ys (third-person plural indirect pronoun)

Czech

Suffix

-y (adverb-forming suffix)

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

Derived terms

Egyptian

Pronunciation

(modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /iː/
- Conventional anglicization: -y

Etymology 1

Suffix

(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Forms the plural imperative of verbs, particularly weak verbs.
(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally used to form the subjunctive of weak verbs.

Usage notes

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

Etymology 2

Suffix

Forms agent nouns from verbs.

Etymology 3

Suffix

(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the masculine imperfective active participle, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of -y

-j

Etymology 4

Suffix

(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

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of -y

-w

Etymology 5

Suffix

(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective passive participle of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective relative form of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
(Late Egyptian) Marks the perfective passive participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.
(Late Egyptian) Occasionally marks the perfective active participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of -y

-yꜣ

-yt

Late Egyptian

Etymology 6

Suffix

(Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Rarely marks the imperfective relative form of all verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of -y

-w

References

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

Suffix

-y

Front-vowel variant of -u.

Declension

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
accusative	gen.	-yn	-yt
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
accusative	gen.	-yni	-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
accusative	gen.	-ysi	-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
accusative	gen.	-ymme	-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
accusative	gen.	-ynne	-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
accusative	gen.	-ynsä	-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
accusative	gen.	-yn	-yt
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
accusative	gen.	-yni	-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
accusative	gen.	-ysi	-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
accusative	gen.	-ymme	-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
accusative	gen.	-ynne	-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
accusative	gen.	-ynsä	-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

Pronunciation

(Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /-y/, [-y]
(Soikkola) IPA^(key): /-y/, [-y]

Suffix

-y

Front vowel variant of -u

Declension

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

Lower Sorbian

Suffix

-y

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

Middle English

Etymology 1

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

Alternative forms

-e, -eg, -ege, -ey, -i, -ich, -iche, -ie, -ig, -ige, -iȝ, -iȝe, -ik, -ike, -ye

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-iː/

Suffix

-y

Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by being appended to a noun.

Derived terms

Descendants

English: -y, -ie, -ey
Scots: -ie, -y
Yola: -ee

References

“-i,, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 20 June 2018.
“-i(e, suf.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 20 June 2018.

Etymology 2

Suffix

-y

alternative form of -yf

Etymology 3

Suffix

-y

alternative form of -ie

Etymology 4

Suffix

-y

alternative form of -ien (infinitival suffix)

Northern Ohlone

Alternative forms

-i (“after consonants”)

Suffix

-y (plural -iṭ)

Used to form the imperative mood of verbs

References

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

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ís

Proto-Balto-Slavic *is

Proto-Slavic *jь

Old Polish -y

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /iː/
IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /i/

Suffix

-y

forms adjectives

Derived terms

Old Polish terms suffixed with -y

Descendants

Polish: -y

Old Tupi

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɨ/, [ɨ] (unstressed)

Suffix

-y

excrescent suffix (adding sound but not changing meaning)
- [1555, Joseph of Anchieta, chapter I, in Arte de grammatica da lingoa mais vſada na coſta do Braſil (overall work in Portuguese), Coimbra: Antonio de Mariz, published 1595, page 1v:
  E ainda que pareção pronunciar, Apâbne, 🙰c. he pella delicadeza com que tocão o i. & ainda no meſmo preſente o exprimem as vezes, vt Apábi.
  [E, ainda que pareçam pronunciar “apabne” etc., é pela delicadeza com que tocam o “y”, e, ainda no mesmo presente, o exprimem às vezes, como “apaby”.]
  And, although they may seem to pronounce “apabne” etc., it is because of the delicacy with which they touch the “y”, and, even in the same present tense, they sometimes express it, as “apaby”.]
- 1750, anonymous author, “Doutrina p.^lo Idioma da Lingoa geral [Doctrine through the general language]”, in Grãmatica da Lingua geral do Brazil [Grammar of the general language of Brazil ] (overall work in Portuguese and Língua Geral Amazônica), Pará, page 386; published as Bruna Trindade Gomes Carneiro, editor, Um códice em língua geral [A codex in general language], Feira de Santana: UEFS, 2024, page 776:
  Eresabáipore eté amó ramé, até ára ocanhémo ndeçuî?
  [Eresabaipori-eté amõramẽ, até 'ara okanhemu nde suí?]
  Did you get really drunk on one of those occasions, until consciousness was lost to you?

Descendants

Língua Geral Amazônica: -i, -u (dialectal)
- Nheengatu: -i, -u (unproductive)

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ís

Proto-Balto-Slavic *is

Proto-Slavic *jь

Old Polish -y

Polish -y

Inherited from Old Polish -y.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɘ/
Rhymes: -ɘ
Syllabification: -y
Homophones: y, -y-

Suffix

-y

forms adjectives

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -y

Quechua

Suffix

-y

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

Scots

Suffix

-y

alternative form of -ie

References

“-y, suff.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.

Slovincian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ís

Proto-Balto-Slavic *is

Proto-Slavic *jь

Slovincian -y

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪ/

Suffix

-y

forms adjectives
‎aptécznjik + ‎-y → ‎aptécznjiczy

Derived terms

Slovincian terms suffixed with -y

aptécznjiczy

[1] “To talk strangely and out of the Way.” (An Exmoor Scolding, A. Brice; B. Thorn, 1771, A Vocabulary or Glossary, D, s.v. To tell Dildrams […], page 43)

[2] “[S]eems to be an Allusion to some old incredible Story or Ballad concerning one Jenkins of Buckingham[.]” (ibidem)

[3] A collector and dealer of ashes. (ib., p. 40 s.v. An Axwaddle or Axwaddler)

[4] “To have an awkward nodding of the Head, or bending of the Body backward and forward.” (ib., p. 45 s.v. To Gookee)

[5] Literally “tell delirium”, doil likely being from an old, unattested French reflex of Latin delirium.

[note 1]

[note 2]

[note 3]

[note 4]

[note 5]

English

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

Etymology 1

Suffix

Usage notes

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

Suffix

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 3

Suffix

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 4

Alternative forms

Suffix

Usage notes

Translation notes

Afar

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Suffix

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Suffix

Usage notes

References

Asturian

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Pronoun

Usage notes

Related terms

Czech

Suffix

Derived terms

Further reading

Egyptian

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Suffix

Usage notes

Etymology 2

Suffix

Etymology 3

Suffix

Alternative forms

Etymology 4

Suffix

Alternative forms

Etymology 5

Suffix

Alternative forms

Etymology 6

Suffix

Alternative forms

References

Finnish

Suffix

Declension

Ingrian

Pronunciation

Suffix

Declension

Derived terms

Lower Sorbian

Suffix

Middle English

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Suffix

Derived terms