-y
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
-y¹
- /-i/
Where it comes from
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 -ier · -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
- Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to". run + -y → runny
- Added to adjectives to form informal synonyms or adjectives meaning "somewhat, rather". bald + -y → baldy
-y²
- /-i/
Where it comes from
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.
suffix -ies · -ie · -ey · -ee
- Forming diminutive nouns. gran(nam) + -y → granny
- Forming familiar names, pet names, nicknames and terms of endearment. And(rew) + -y → Andy
- Added for metrical reasons to songs, often in children's music where it may carry diminutive associations.
- Forming colloquial nouns signifying the person or thing associated with suffixed noun or verb. fridge + -y → fridgy (“fridge magnet”)
- Forming nouns relative to an adjective. bald + -y → baldy
- Forming colloquial interjections or phrases. alright + -y → alrighty
- Forming childish variants of verbs. eat + -y → eaty
Similar: mini-, micro-, nano-, -ette, -ee, -icle, -cule, -ule, -ole
-y³
- /-i/
Where it comes from
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 -ies
- Forming abstract nouns denoting a condition, quality, or state. modest + -y → modesty
- 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.
-y⁴
- /-i/
Where it comes from
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).
suffix -ee
- Denotes the infinitive of verbs when used intransitively. 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 and Buckingham Jenkins.
