y-
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Y, y
(waɪ)n., pl. Ys Y's, ys y's.
1. the 25th letter of the English alphabet, a semivowel.
2. any spoken sound represented by this letter.
3. something shaped like a Y.
4. a written or printed representation of the letter Y or y.
Y
(waɪ) the Y, Informal. the YMCA, YWCA, YMHA, or YWHA.
Y
Y
Symbol.
1. the 25th in order or in a series.
2. (sometimes l.c.) Elect. admittance.
3. Chem. yttrium.
4. Biochem. tyrosine.
y
Math. Symbol.
an unknown quantity or a variable.
y-
or i-
a prefix occurring in certain obsolete words (iwis) and esp. in archaic past participles (yclad; yclept).
[Middle English y-, i- (reduced variant a-), Old English ge-, prefix with perfective, intensifying, or collective force; c. Old Frisian, Old Saxon ge-, gi-, Old High German ga-, gi, Gothic ga-]
-y1
or -ey
an adjective-forming suffix meaning “characterized by or inclined to” the substance or action of the word or stem to which the suffix is attached: bloody; cloudy; sexy; squeaky.
[Old English -ig; c. German -ig]
-y2
or -ie
a noun-forming suffix, added to monosyllabic bases, occurring in endearing or familiar names or common nouns formed from personal names, other nouns, and adjectives (Billy; Susie; birdie; granny; sweetie; tummy) and in various other usu. informal coinages, sometimes pejorative (boonies; goalie; groupie; Okie; rookie). This suffix also forms from adjectives nouns that denote exemplary or extreme instances of the quality specified (baddie; biggie), sometimes focusing on a restricted, usu. unfavorable sense of the adjective (sharpie; sickie; whitey). Compare -o, -sy.
[late Middle English (Scots)]
-y3
, a suffix of various origins used in the formation of action nouns from verbs (inquiry), and also found in other abstract nouns (infamy).
y.
1. yard.
2. year.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.