-y

-y ¹ or -ey

suff.

1. Characterized by; consisting of: clayey.

2.

a. Like: summery.

b. To some degree; somewhat; rather: chilly.

3. Tending toward; inclined toward: sleepy.

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[Middle English, from Old English -ig.]

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-y ²

suff.

1. Condition; state; quality: jealousy.

2.

a. Activity: cookery.

b. Instance of a specified action: entreaty.

3.

a. Place for an activity: cannery.

b. Result or product of an activity: laundry.

4. Collection; body; group: soldiery.

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[Middle English -ie, from Old French, from Latin -ia. Sense 2b, ultimately from Latin -ium.]

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-y ³ or -ie

suff.

1. Small one: doggy.

2. Dear one: sweetie.

3. One having to do with or characterized by: townie.

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[Middle English -ie, -y.]

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-y¹, -ey

suffix forming adjectives

1. (from nouns) characterized by; consisting of; filled with; relating to; resembling sunny sandy smoky classy

2. (from verbs) tending to; acting or existing as specified leaky shiny

[from Old English -ig, -ǣg]

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-y², -ie, -ey

suffix of nouns Informal

1. denoting smallness and expressing affection and familiarity a doggy a granny Jamie

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

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

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-y³

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

[from Old French -ie, from Latin -ia]