Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Y

Y

(wī)
.
Y, the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet, at the beginning of a word or syllable, except when a prefix (see Y-), is usually a fricative vocal consonant; as a prefix, and usually in the middle or at the end of a syllable, it is a vowel. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 145, 178-9, 272.
It derives its form from the Latin Y, which is from the Greek Υ, originally the same letter as V. Etymologically, it is most nearly related to u, i, o, and j. g; as in full, fill, AS. fyllan; E. crypt, grotto; young, juvenile; day, AS. dæg. See
U
,
I
, and
J
,
G
.
☞ Y has been called the Pythagorean letter, because the Greek letter Υ was taken to represent the sacred triad, formed by the duad proceeding from the monad; and also because it represents the dividing of the paths of vice and virtue in the development of human life.

Y

(wī)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Y’s
(wīz)
or
Ys
.
Something shaped like the letter
Y
; a forked piece resembling in form the letter
Y
.
Specifically:
(a)
One of the forked holders for supporting the telescope of a leveling instrument, or the axis of a theodolite; a wye.
(b)
A forked or bifurcated pipe fitting.
(c)
(Railroads)
A portion of track consisting of two diverging tracks connected by a cross track.
Y level
(Surv.)
,
an instrument for measuring differences of level by means of a telescope resting in
Y
's.
–
Y moth
(Zool.)
,
a handsome European noctuid moth
Plusia gamma
) which has a bright, silvery mark, shaped like the letter
Y
, on each of the fore wings. Its larva, which is green with five dorsal white species, feeds on the cabbage, turnip, bean, etc. Called also
gamma moth
, and
silver Y
.

Y

(ī)
,
p
ron.
I.
[Obs.]
King Horn.
Wyclif.

Webster 1828 Edition

Y

Y

, the twenty fifth letter of the English Alphabet, is taken from the Greed. At the beginning of words, it is called an articulation or consonant, and with some propriety perhaps, as it brings the root of the tongue in close contact with the lower part of the palate, and nearly in the position to which the close g brings it. Hence it has happened that in a great number of words, g has been changed into y, as the Sax. Gear, into year; geornian, into yearn; gyllan, into yell; gealew, into yellow.
In the middle and at the end of words, y is precisely the same as I. It is sounded as I long, when accented, as in defy, rely; and as I short, when unaccented, as in vanity, glory, synonymous. This latter sound is a vowel. At the beginning of words, y answers to the German and Dutch J.

Y

, as a numeral, stands for 150, and with a dash over it, for 150,000.

Definition 2024

Ý

Ý

Ý U+00DD, Ý
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y WITH ACUTE
Composition: Y [U+0059] + ́ [U+0301]
← Ü
[U+00DC] 		Latin-1 Supplement Þ →
[U+00DE]

Translingual

Letter

Ý upper case (lower case ý)

  1. The letter Y with an acute accent.

See also

Czech

Letter

Ý (upper case, lower case ý)

  1. A letter of the Czech alphabet, representing a long y.

Faroese

Letter

Ý ‎(lower case ý)

  1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Faroese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Icelandic

Letter

Ý ‎(lower case ý)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Icelandic alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Slovak

Letter

Ý ‎(lower case ý)

  1. The forty-fourth letter of the Slovak alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Turkmen

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /j/

Letter

Ý ‎(lower case ý)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Turkmen alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 意, from Middle Chinese 意 ‎(ʔiH); contracted from Chinese 意大利 ‎(Ý Đại Lợi), from Mandarin 意大利 ‎(Yìdàlì)

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Ý

  1. A female given name
  2. (colloquial) Italy
  3. (only in compounds) Italo-; Italy

Adjective

Ý

  1. (colloquial) Italian

Synonyms

ý

ý

ý U+00FD, ý
LATIN SMALL LETTER Y WITH ACUTE
Composition: y [U+0079] + ́ [U+0301]
← ü
[U+00FC] 		Latin-1 Supplement þ →
[U+00FE]
See also: Ý and Appendix:Variations of "y"

Translingual

Letter

ý lower case (upper case Ý)

  1. The letter y with an acute accent.

See also

Czech

Letter

ý ‎(lower case, upper case Ý)

  1. The fortieth letter of the Czech alphabet, written in the Latin script., after y and before z

See also

Faroese

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʊiːj/
  • Homophones: í, ið

Letter

ý ‎(upper case Ý)

  1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Faroese alphabet, written in the Latin script., after y and before æ

See also

Verb

ý

  1. imperative of at ýa

Icelandic

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /iː/

Letter

ý ‎(upper case Ý)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Icelandic alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Slovak

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /iː/

Letter

ý ‎(upper case Ý)

  1. The forty-fourth letter of the Slovak alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Tupinambá

Noun

ý

  1. water

References

  • The Amazonian Languages (editor: Robert M. W. Dixon)

Turkmen

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /j/

Letter

ý ‎(upper case Ý)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Turkmen alphabet, called ýe and written in the Latin script.

See also

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 意

Pronunciation

Noun

ý

  1. idea

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