# -y
## English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /i/
* Audio (Southern England):(file)

### Alternative forms

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

### Etymology 1

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
* 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
** 2003, Cory Doctorow, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom‎, 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

##### Usage notes

* This suffix is extremely productive and can be added to almost any word. When the resulting word is not perceived to be an established or formal word (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 (fuzz → fuzz-y (“fuzz-like”), distinct from fuzzy (“covered in fuzz”)).
* 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

* (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

##### Translations

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

Cognate with Scots -ie, being inherited directly from the same source Middle English -ie, -i, from Old English -iġ (“-ie, -y”, diminutive suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-ij-, *-j- (diminutive suffix). Compare Dutch -je (diminutive suffix), German Low German -je (diminutive suffix), German -i (diminutive suffix).

#### Alternative forms

* -ie, -ey, -ee

#### Suffix

-y
* Forming diminutive nouns.
    granny, pinny, tummy
* Forming familiar names, pet names, nicknames and terms of endearment.
    Andy, Billy, Johnny, Jonesy, lovey
* Added for metrical reasons to songs, often in children's music where it may carry diminutive associations.

##### Synonyms

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

##### Translations

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

### Etymology 3

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
* 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

* -ery

##### Translations

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

### Derived terms
## Afar
### Etymology 1
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /-j/ [-j]

#### Clitic

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

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /-j/ [-j]

#### Clitic

-y
* 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]‎, 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)‎, Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis), page 447

## Asturian
### Alternative forms

* -ye

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /i/

### Pronoun

-y
* him, her, it (third-person singular indirect pronoun)
    Da-y panGive 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
### Further reading

* -y in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

## Egyptian
### Pronunciation

* (modern Egyptological) IPA: /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

-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

| -w | -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

| -yꜣ | -yt |
| Late Egyptian | 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

| -w | -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

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 :
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
### Pronunciation

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

### Suffix

-y
* Front vowel variant of -u

#### 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: /-iː/

#### Suffix

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

##### Descendants

* English: -y, -ie, -ey
* Scots: -ie, -y

##### 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

## 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 Langauges)‎, Unpublished

## Old Polish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (10th–15th CE) /ɨː/
* IPA: (15th CE) /ɨ/

### Suffix

-y
* forms adjectives

#### Descendants

* Polish: -y

## Polish
### Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish -y.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɘ/
* Rhymes: -ɘ
* Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
* Homophones: y, -y-

### Suffix

-y
* forms adjectives

#### Derived terms
## 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

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɪ/

### Suffix

-y
* forms adjectives
    ‎aptécznjik + ‎-y → ‎aptécznjiczy