i
1 American-
Also called imaginary unit. the imaginary number .
-
a unit vector on the x -axis of a coordinate system.
noun
plural
I's, Is, i's, is-
the ninth letter of the English alphabet, a vowel.
-
any spoken sound represented by the letter I or i, as in big, nice, or ski.
-
something having the shape of an I.
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a written or printed representation of the letter I or i.
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a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter I or i.
pronoun
nominative
I,possessive
my, mine,objective
me,plural nominative
we,possessive
our, ours,objective
usnoun
plural
I's-
(used to denote the narrator of a literary work written in the first person singular.)
-
Metaphysics. the ego.
abbreviation
-
the ninth in order or in a series.
-
(sometimes lowercase) the Roman numeral for 1.
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Chemistry. iodine.
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Biochemistry. isoleucine.
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Electricity. current.
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Logic. particular affirmative.
-
(italics) isotopic spin.
abbreviation
-
imperator.
-
incisor.
-
interest.
-
intransitive.
-
island.
-
isle; isles.
abbreviation
-
Independent.
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Island; Islands.
-
Isle; Isles.
pronoun
symbol
-
chem iodine
-
physics current
-
physics isospin
-
logic a particular affirmative categorial statement, such as some men are married, often symbolized as SiP Compare A E O 1
-
one See Roman numerals
abbreviation
abbreviation
-
International
-
Island or Isle
noun
-
the ninth letter and third vowel of the modern English alphabet
-
any of several speech sounds represented by this letter, in English as in bite or hit
-
-
something shaped like an I
-
( in combination )
an I-beam
-
-
to pay meticulous attention to detail
suffix
symbol
Grammar
See me.
Etymology
Origin of I
First recorded before 900; Middle English ik, ich, i, Old English ic, ih; cognate with Gothic ik, German ich, Old Norse ek, Latin ego, Greek egṓ, Old Church Slavonic azŭ, Lithuanian aš, Sanskrit ahám
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I was brought to tears when i saw you.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
"If you don't carry it, you're arrested. In my life i was so afraid of being arrested… even now I'm afraid."
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
"This information will prevent the overtreatment of low-risk patients, thereby limiting side effects and unnecessary costs, while intensifying the monitoring and treatment of those at high risk," says Ariel Ruiz i Altaba.
From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026
“I think i just like the idea of throwing something down the lane,” says Belmonte, “watching it and then having it come back to you and just doing that over and over.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
If you think this word should start with an i, go sit in the corner.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.