Where does “-y” come from?
-y (Middle English) comes from Middle English -ien, from Old English -ian, from Old English -ōjan, from Proto-West Germanic -ōn, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.
-y (Middle English): Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by...
Definitions
- Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by...
Ancestry of “-y”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | -ien | Forms nouns and adjectives denoting origin, association, or residence; -ian |
| 2 | Old English | -ian | Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives |
| 3 | Old English | -ōjan | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | -ōn | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -ōną | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |