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-y

a native English suffix of adjectives meaning “characterized by or inclined to” the substance or action of the word or stem to which the suffix is attached: juicy; grouchy; rumbly; dreamy.

Also, -ey ¹ .

Origin:
OE -ig; c. G -ig; cf. perh. L -icus, Gk -ikos

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Language Translation for : -y

Spanish:

y (son las diez y cuarto),

German:

nach,

Japanese:

～過ぎ

View 30 other languages »

-y

a noun-forming suffix with a variety of functions in contemporary English, added to monosyllabic bases to create words that are almost always informal. Its earliest use, probably still productive, was to form endearing or familiar names or common nouns from personal names, other nouns, and adjectives (Billy; Susie; birdie; doggie; granny; sweetie; tummy). The hypocoristic feature is absent in recent coinages, however, which are simply informal and sometimes pejorative (boonies; cabby; groupie; hippy; looie; Okie; preemie; preppy; rookie). Another function of -y² (-ie) is to form from adjectives nouns that denote exemplary or extreme instances of the quality named by the adjective (baddie; biggie; cheapie; toughie), sometimes focusing on a restricted, usually unfavorable sense of the adjective (sharpie; sickie; whitey). A few words in which the informal character of -y² (-ie) has been lost are now standard in formal written English (goalie; movie).

Also, -ie.

Compare -o, -sy.

Origin:
late ME (Scots), orig. in names; of uncert. orig.; baby and puppy, now felt as having this suffix, may be of different derivation

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

-y

a suffix of various origins used in the formation of action nouns from verbs (inquiry), also found in other abstract nouns: carpentry; infamy.

Origin:
repr. L -ia, -ium; Gk -ia, -eia, -ion; F -ie; G -ie

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source

-y¹ or -ey
suff.

Characterized by; consisting of: clayey.
1. Like: summery.
2. To some degree; somewhat; rather: chilly.
Tending toward; inclined toward: sleepy.

[Middle English, from Old English -ig.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

-y²
suff.

Condition; state; quality: jealousy.
1. Activity: cookery.
2. Instance of a specified action: entreaty.
3. Place for an activity: cannery.
4. Result or product of an activity: laundry.
1. Place for an activity: cannery.
2. Result or product of an activity: laundry.
Collection; body; group: soldiery.

[Middle English -ie, from Old French, from Latin -ia. Sense 2b, ultimately from Latin -ium.]

-y³ or -ie
suff.

Small one: doggy.
Dear one: sweetie.
One having to do with or characterized by: townie.

[Middle English -ie, -y.]

-y (3)

suffix in pet proper names (e.g. Johnny, Kitty), first recorded in Scottish, c.1400; became frequent in Eng. 15c.-16c. Extension to surnames seems to date from c.1940. Use with common nouns seems to have begun in Scot. with laddie (1546) and become popular in Eng. due to Burns' poems, but the same formation appears to be represented much earlier in baby and puppy.

-y (1)

noun suffix, in army, city, country, etc., from O.Fr. -e, L. -atus, -atum, pp. suffix of verbs of the first conjugation. In victory, history, etc. it represents L. -ia, Gk. -ia.

-y (2)

adj. suffix, "full of or characterized by," from O.E. -ig, from P.Gmc. *-iga (cf. Ger. -ig), cognate with Gk. -ikos, L. -icus.

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