-y

-y¹ forming adjectives

Etymology

The adjective suffix is inherited from Middle English -y, also -i,^[2][3][4][1] inherited from Old English -iġ,^[5][4][2][6] from Proto-Germanic *-īgaz.^[1][4] The OED sees two Germanic forms under one Old English suffix, one with a long i and one with a, still separated by vowel mutation in pairs such as stānig and stǣnig.^[5] Both are from Proto-Indo-European *-kos,^[5][4][1] and it is cognate with Old Saxon -ig, Dutch -ig, Old High German -īg, German -ig, Old Norse -igr and Gothic -𐌹𐌲𐍃 (-igs), and outside Germanic with Latin -icus, Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) and Sanskrit -इक (-ika).^[5][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Old English it made adjectives from nouns, as with mōdig (“moody”), mihtig (“mighty”) and þurstig (“thirsty”).^[5]

Semantic evolution

Some Old English adjectives no longer show their relation to anything, such as empty, dizzy and merry.^[6] As early as the 13th century it went on verb stems, meaning inclined to, as in drowsy and clingy.^[5][4][6] From the 15th century it was added to short adjectives with no change of meaning, as in chilly and crispy, which also helped poets to an extra syllable, as with vasty and stilly.^[5][4][3] From the early 19th century it has been used more freely, so that recent words tend to be jocular or trivial, as with bossy, dotty and horsey.^[5][6] The spelling is -ey after a final y in the noun, as in clayey, and there is variation in homey and homy.^[5][7]

Timeline

• Old English – -iġ, adjectives from nouns.^[5]
• 13th century – on verb stems.^[5][4]
• 15th century – extending short adjectives.^[5][4]
• early 19th century – freer use in nonce words.^[5][6]

Meanings

Suffix

1. Forming adjectives from nouns, meaning full of, covered with or characterized by something: rainy, grassy.^[8][2][3]
2. Forming adjectives meaning like or suggesting something: silky, sugary.^[8][3][7]
3. Forming adjectives from verbs, meaning inclined to do something: sleepy, leaky.^[8][3][5]

Word family

• empty
• merry
• mighty
• moody
• stony
• thirsty

-y² diminutive, familiar

Etymology

The diminutive suffix is of uncertain origin, first recorded in Scots as -ie (a variant spelling).^[7][9][3][4] Etymonline thinks it perhaps a merging of the adjective ending with old feminine forms in -ie, possibly reinforced by Dutch -je,^[4] while Wiktionary derives it from Old English -iġ, a diminutive, possibly from Proto-West Germanic *-ij-, and rejects a connection with the Dutch form.^[1] Dictionary.com says that baby and puppy, now felt to have it, may be of different origin.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in pet forms of personal names by about 1400 in Scots.^[4][9][3]

Semantic evolution

It became frequent in English in the 15th and 16th centuries, according to the 1989 edition of the OED as cited by Etymonline.^[4] Its use with common nouns seems also to have begun in Scots, with laddie by the 1540s, and it became popular in English from the late 18th century through Burns.^[4] It was added to surnames from about 1940.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 1400 – pet forms of names, in Scots.^[4]
• 1540s – laddie.^[4]
• 17th and early 18th century – granny, dearie, sweetie.^[4]
• c. 1940 – on surnames.^[4]

Meanings

Suffix

1. Forming diminutives, pet names and familiar forms: Johnny, kitty, daddy.^[8][7][3]

Word family

• daddy
• doggy
• laddie
• mummy
• sweetie

-y³ state, quality; activity

Etymology

The suffix of abstract nouns is inherited from Middle English -ie,^[2][3][1] borrowed from Old French -ie,^[5][2][3][7] from Latin -ia, which under one form covers Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) and -εια (-eia).^[5][4][2][6] In Romance, -ía displaced the Latin ending with short i, and became a living suffix for nouns of quality, as in corteisie (“courtesy”), folie (“folly”) and gelosie (“jealousy”).^[5] It is also the last part of -cy, -ery, -logy and other endings.^[7][4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

English received nouns of quality and condition from French, such as courtesy, folly and jealousy, and it took the Anglo-Norman forms of words such as glory, story and victory, where central French had gloire and estoire.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Many of the words were abstract before they developed concrete meanings, as with embroidery.^[4] It can also name an activity, a place of work or a whole group, as with carpentry, laundry and soldiery.^[3][2] Etymonline notes that it was sometimes used to make alternative forms with no difference of meaning, such as innocency beside innocence, for the sake of an extra syllable.^[4]

Timeline

• 1225 – jealousy.^[5]
• 1315 – victory.^[5]

Meanings

Suffix

1. Forming nouns for a state, condition or quality: modesty.^[2][3][7]
2. Forming nouns for an activity, a place of business or goods dealt with: bakery, chandlery.^[2][3]
3. Forming nouns for a whole body or group: peasantry.^[2][3]

Word family

• courtesy
• folly
• glory
• history
• jealousy
• victory

-y⁴ instance of an action

Etymology

The suffix for an instance of an action is inherited from Middle English -ie, borrowed from Anglo-Norman -ie and later directly borrowed from Latin -ium,^[5][2][3][7] which was added to verb roots to denote an act, as in colloquium (“conference”) and suspīrium (“sigh”).^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OED's earliest derivatives in English are remedy, in the Ancrene Riwle, and sacrilegy, in the early 14th century.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Several words had a parallel shorter form from continental French, such as remede beside remedy and colloque beside colloquy.^[5] Nouns of this kind include perjury and subsidy, and the suffix is no longer productive.^[5][6][3]

Timeline

• 1225 – remedy.^[5]
• early 14th century – sacrilegy.^[5]

Meanings

Suffix

1. (no longer productive) Forming nouns for an instance of an action: entreaty, inquiry.^[2][5][7]

Word family

• colloquy
• perjury
• remedy
• subsidy

-y⁵ from past participles

Etymology

The ending from past participles is inherited from Middle English -e, also -ee,^[3] borrowed from Anglo-Norman -e and Old French -ee,^[5][6][7][4] modern French -é, from Latin -ātus, -āta and -ātum, the source of -ate.^[5][6][3][4]

Semantic evolution

In French it came to indicate employment, office or dignity.^[4] It survives in nouns such as army, county, deputy, duchy and treaty,^[5][7][3] and in a few adjectives such as easy, with more in heraldry.^[5][7]

Timeline

• 1387 – county.^[5]
• 1425 – army.^[5]

Meanings

Suffix

1. An ending of some nouns and adjectives borrowed from French past participles: delivery, assembly.^[3][7][5]

Word family

• army
• county
• deputy
• duchy
• easy
• treaty