-y

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English

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Pronunciation

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Alternative forms

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Etymology 1

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    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

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    -y

    1. 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
      lank + ‎-y → ‎lanky
      • 2003, Cory Doctorow, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom[1], Macmillan, →ISBN:
        Tim keeps trying to make it all more impressionistic, less computer-y.
    2. Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to".
      run + ‎-y → ‎runny
      stick + ‎-y → ‎sticky
      fiddle + ‎-y → ‎fiddly
    Usage notes
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    • This suffix is very 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 (sandcastlesandcastle-y, tomato-y, etc.); this is sometimes also used when an established term is used very literally, as a form of clarification (fuzzfuzz-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
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    • (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
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    • (antonym(s) of form “having quality of” adjectives): -less
    Translations
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    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

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    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

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    Suffix

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    -y

    1. Forming diminutive nouns.
      granny, pinny, tummy
    2. Forming familiar names, pet names, nicknames and terms of endearment.
      Andy, Billy, Johnny, Jonesy, lovey
    Synonyms
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    Translations
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    Note: translations of English words ending in -y do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

    Etymology 3

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      From Middle English -y, -ie, -ee, -e, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French -ie and , 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

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      -y

      1. 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
      2. 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
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      Translations
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      Note: translations of English words ending in -y do not necessarily end in the suffixes listed below.

      Derived terms

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      Afar

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      Etymology 1

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      Pronunciation

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      Clitic

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      -y

      1. Used to form an interrogative copulative sentence: is it?
        Qafár af macáy?What is the Afar language?

      Etymology 2

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      Pronunciation

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      Clitic

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      -y

      1. Used to join together noun phrases: and, also
        • Saytun Qhuraan kee kay maqnah tarjamaty Qafar afal tani[2], 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
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      • When following a short vowel, -y lengthens that vowel:
        gaalá (camel) + ‎-y → ‎gaaláay (and the camels)

      References

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      • 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)[3], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis), page 447

      Asturian

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      Alternative forms

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      Pronunciation

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      Pronoun

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      -y

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

      Usage notes

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      It is always spelled with the hyphen, unlike other pronouns in the language.

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

      Czech

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      Suffix

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      -y (adverb-forming suffix)

      1. -ly: from adjectives forms adverbs
        logický + ‎-y → ‎logicky

      Derived terms

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      Further reading

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      • -y in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

      Egyptian

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      Pronunciation

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      Etymology 1

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Forms the plural imperative of verbs, particularly weak verbs.
      2. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally used to form the subjunctive of weak verbs.
      Usage notes
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      The plural imperative can also appear without this suffix, in a form identical to the singular imperative.

      Etymology 2

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. Forms agent nouns from verbs.

      Etymology 3

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the masculine imperfective active participle, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
      Alternative forms
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      Etymology 4

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. (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
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      Etymology 5

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective passive participle of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
      2. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Optionally marks the perfective relative form of weak verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
      3. (Late Egyptian) Marks the perfective passive participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.
      4. (Late Egyptian) Occasionally marks the perfective active participle of mostly third-weak transitive verbs, following the stem.
      Alternative forms
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      Etymology 6

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      Suffix

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      ii
      1. (Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian) Rarely marks the imperfective relative form of all verbs, intervening between the stem and the gender/number endings.
      Alternative forms
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      References

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      • 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

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      Suffix

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      -y

      1. Front vowel variant of -u.

      Declension

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      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
      abessive -yttä -yittä
      instructive -yin
      comitative See the possessive forms below.
      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
      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
      abessive -yttä -yittä
      instructive -yin
      comitative See the possessive forms below.
      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

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      Pronunciation

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      Suffix

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      -y

      1. Front vowel variant of -u

      Declension

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      Declension of -y (type 4/koivu, no gradation)
      singular plural
      nominative -y -yt
      genitive -yn -yin, -ylöin
      partitive -yä -yjä, -ylöjä
      illative -yy -yi, -ylöihe
      inessive -ys -yis, -ylöis
      elative -yst -yist, -ylöist
      allative -ylle -yille, -ylöille
      adessive -yl -yil, -ylöil
      ablative -ylt -yilt, -ylöilt
      translative -yks -yiks, -ylöiks
      essive -ynnä, -yyn -yinnä, -ylöinnä, -yin, -ylöin
      exessive1) -ynt -yint, -ylöint
      1) obsolete
      *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl)
      **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

      Derived terms

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      Lower Sorbian

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      Suffix

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      -y

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

      Middle English

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      Etymology 1

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        From Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos. Doublet of -ik.

        Alternative forms

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        Pronunciation

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        Suffix

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        -y

        1. Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by being appended to a noun.
        Derived terms
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        Descendants
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        • English: -y, -ie, -ey
        • Scots: -ie, -y
        References
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        Etymology 2

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        Suffix

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        -y

        1. Alternative form of -yf

        Etymology 3

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          Suffix

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          -y

          1. Alternative form of -ie

          Northern Ohlone

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          Alternative forms

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          • -i (after consonants)

          Suffix

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          -y (plural -iṭ)

          1. Used to form the imperative mood of verbs

          References

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          • María de los Angeles Colós, José Guzman, and John Peabody Harrington (1930s) Chochenyo Field Notes (Survey of California and Other Indian Langauges)‎[4], Unpublished

          Old Polish

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          Etymology

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

          Pronunciation

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          Suffix

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          -y

          1. forms adjectives

          Derived terms

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          Descendants

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          • Polish: -y

          Polish

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          Etymology

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          Inherited from Old Polish -y.

          Pronunciation

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          Suffix

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          -y

          1. forms adjectives

          Derived terms

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          Quechua

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          Suffix

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          -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!")

          Scots

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          Suffix

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          -y

          1. Alternative form of -ie

          References

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          Slovincian

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          Etymology

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

          Pronunciation

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          Suffix

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          -y

          1. forms adjectives
            aptécznjik + ‎-y → ‎aptécznjiczy

          Derived terms

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