Y

¹

or y

[ wahy ]

noun

, plural Y's or Ys, y's or ys.

1. the 25th letter of the English alphabet, a semivowel.
2. any spoken sound represented by the letter Y or y, as in yet, city, or rhythm.
3. something having the shape of a Y .
4. a written or printed representation of the letter Y or y.
5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter Y or y.

-y

²

1. 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. Sometimes used to mean “allowing, fostering, or bringing about” the specified action: sippy.

Y

³

[ wahy ]

abbreviation for

1. the Y, Informal. the YMCA, YWCA, YMHA, or YWHA.

-y

⁴

1. 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 the formation from adjectives of 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 ).

Y

⁵

abbreviation for

1. yen ¹( def 1 ).

-y

⁶

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

   carpentry; infamy.

Y

⁷

Symbol.

1. the 25th in order or in a series.
2. (sometimes lowercase) the medieval Roman numeral for 150. Compare Roman numerals.
3. Electricity. admittance ( def 4 ). Sometimes y
4. Chemistry. yttrium ( def ).
5. Biochemistry. tyrosine ( def ).

y

⁸

Symbol, Mathematics.

1. an unknown quantity.
2. (in Cartesian coordinates) the y-axis.

y-

⁹

1. a prefix occurring in certain obsolete words ( ywis ) and especially in archaic past participles:

   yclad.

y.

¹⁰

abbreviation for

1. yard; yards.
2. year; years.

Y.

¹

abbreviation for

1. YMCA or YWCA

-y

²

suffix

1. denoting smallness and expressing affection and familiarity

   a doggy

   Jamie

   a granny

2. a person or thing concerned with or characterized by being

   a groupie

   a fatty

y

³

symbol for

1. the y- axis or a coordinate measured along the y- axis in a Cartesian coordinate system
2. an algebraic variable

y.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. year

y

⁵

/ waɪ /

noun

1. the 25th letter of the modern English alphabet
2. a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually a semivowel, as in yawn, or a vowel, as in symbol or shy
3. 1. something shaped like a Y
   2. ( in combination )

      a Y-cross

-y

⁶

suffix forming adjectives

1. from nouns characterized by; consisting of; filled with; relating to; resembling

   smoky

   sandy

   sunny

   classy

2. from verbs tending to; acting or existing as specified

   leaky

   shiny

-y

⁷

suffix forming nouns

1. from verbs indicating the act of doing what is indicated by the verbal element

   inquiry

2. esp with combining forms of Greek, Latin, or French origin indicating state, condition, or quality

   geography

   jealousy

Y

⁸

symbol for

1. any unknown, unspecified, or variable factor, number, person, or thing
2. chem yttrium
3. currency
   1. yen
   2. yuan

Word History and Origins

Origin of Y¹

Old English -ig; cognate with German -ig; compare perhaps Latin -icus, Greek -ikos

Origin of Y²

From late Middle English (Scots), originally in names; of uncertain origin; baby and puppy, now felt as having this suffix, may be of different derivation

Origin of Y³

Representing Latin -ia, -ium; Greek -ia, -eia, -ion; French -ie; German -ie

Origin of Y⁴

Middle English y-, i- (reduced variant a- ), Old English ge-, prefix with perfective, intensifying, or collective force; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon ge-, gi-, Gothic ga-, German ge-; compare perhaps Latin com- com-

Word History and Origins

Origin of Y¹

C14: from Scottish -ie, -y, familiar suffix occurring originally in names, as in Jamie ( James )

Origin of Y²

from Old English -ig, -ǣg

Origin of Y³

from Old French -ie, from Latin -ia

Related Words

• corner
• edge
• intersection
• slant
• twist