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Definition 2024


-y

-y

See also: Appendix:Variations of "y"

English

Alternative forms

Suffix

-y

  1. Added to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives meaning "having the quality of".
    messmessy
    mousemousey, mousy
    bluebluey
    clayclayey
  2. Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to".
    runrunny
    sticksticky
Usage notes
  • This suffix is still very productive and can be added to almost any word. When the resulting word is not perceived to be a real word, a hyphen is used before the suffix (sandcastlesandcastle-y). 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
Antonyms
  • (form “having quality of” adjectives): -less
Translations

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

Etymology 2

From Middle English and Scots. Compare Dutch -je (diminutive suffix), German Low German -je (diminutive suffix). Also spelled -ie.

Suffix

-y

  1. Forming diminutive nouns. Also used for familiar and pet names as a term of endearment.
    granny
    Dicky
Translations

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

Etymology 3

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

Suffix

-y

  1. Forming abstract nouns denoting a state, condition, or quality.
    modestmodesty
    honesthonesty
    -nym-nymy (as in toponymtoponymy)
    -logue-logy (as in analogueanalogy)
  2. Used in the name of some locations which end in -ia in Latin.
    Italy, Germany, Saxony, Hungary, Sicily, Lombardy, Tuscany, Albany, Brittany, Burgundy, Picardy, Normandy, Turkey.
Translations

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

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:English_words_suffixed_with_-y'>English words suffixed with -y</a>

Asturian

Pronoun

-y

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

Related terms

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

Finnish

Suffix

-y

  1. 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
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
instructive -yin
abessive -yttä -yittä
comitative -yineen
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
instructive -yin
abessive -yttä -yittä
comitative -yineen

Lower Sorbian

Suffix

-y

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

Quechua

Suffix

-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!")