Y, y

[ wahy ]

/ waɪ /

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

the 25th letter of the English alphabet, a semivowel.

any spoken sound represented by the letter Y or y, as in yet, city, or rhythm.

something having the shape of a Y.

a written or printed representation of the letter Y or y.

a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter Y or y.

Definition for y (2 of 10)

y

Symbol, Mathematics.

an unknown quantity.

(in Cartesian coordinates) the y-axis.

Definition for y (3 of 10)

Y

yen¹(def 1).

Definition for y (4 of 10)

Y

[ wahy ]

/ waɪ /

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

Definition for y (5 of 10)

Y

Symbol.

the 25th in order or in a series, or, when I is omitted, the 24th.

(sometimes lowercase) the medieval Roman numeral for 150.Compare Roman numerals.

(sometimes lowercase) Electricity. admittance.

Chemistry. yttrium.

Biochemistry. tyrosine.

Definition for y (6 of 10)

y-

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

Also i-.

Origin of y-

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-

Definition for y (7 of 10)

-y

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.

Also -ey¹.

Origin of -y

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

Definition for y (8 of 10)

-y

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 to form from adjectives 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).

Also -ie.

Compare -o, -sy.

Origin of -y

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

Definition for y (9 of 10)

-y

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

Origin of -y

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

Definition for y (10 of 10)

y.

yard; yards.

year; years.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for y

The tagline for the Museum is “Paz, Memoria, y Sobernía”: Peace, Memory and Sovereignty.
The Never-Ending Falklands War: In Buenos Aires, A Museum's Selective History|Michael Luongo|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
X and Y could be terrible on their own, unknowable terms, and therefore incomparable.
Atheist King Richard Dawkins’ Rape Fantasy|Tim Teeman|July 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Carried distinctly through men, the Y chromosome only gives a portion of the entire mitochondrial DNA.
This Artist Reproduced van Gogh’s Ear…and It’s Alive!|Justin Jones|June 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They instill a macho culture right from the start of childhood.
Game of Thrones’ Sibel Kekilli Discusses Shae’s Treachery at the Trial of Tyrion Lannister|Marlow Stern|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He died because he was an addict on a day of the week with a y in it.
Coming Out of the Addiction Closet|Abby Haglage|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her forhed was as whytte as ys the snowe whyche y^e talle hed of a Norwegian pyne stelythe from y^e northerne wynde.
Life of John Keats|Sidney Colvin
Now y, far from being unimportant, is the chief material employed by many of the Parisian playwrights.
Our Stage and Its Critics|"E.F.S." of "The Westminster Gazette"
Y as deba ser, porque el nio dejaba de ser judo para convertirse en cristiano.
Heath's Modern Language Series: The Spanish American Reader|Ernesto Nelson
The "Y" workers did promote one form of entertainment, however, that the boys thoroughly enjoyed.
In the Flash Ranging Service|Edward Alva Trueblood
Mont a caballo breve instante sobre el muro, y despus desapareci entre 213 la negra espesura de los rboles.
Doa Perfecta|Benito Prez Galds

British Dictionary definitions for y (1 of 8)

y

Y

/ (waɪ) /

noun plural y's, Y's or Ys

the 25th letter of the modern English alphabet

a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually a semivowel, as in yawn, or a vowel, as in symbol or shy

something shaped like a Y
(in combination)a Y-cross

British Dictionary definitions for y (2 of 8)

y

/ maths /

symbol for

the y- axis or a coordinate measured along the y- axis in a Cartesian coordinate system

an algebraic variable

British Dictionary definitions for y (3 of 8)

Y

symbol for

any unknown, unspecified, or variable factor, number, person, or thing

chem yttrium

currency

yen
yuan

British Dictionary definitions for y (4 of 8)

y.

abbreviation for

year

British Dictionary definitions for y (5 of 8)

Y.

abbreviation for

YMCA or YWCA

British Dictionary definitions for y (6 of 8)

-y

-ey

suffix forming adjectives

(from nouns) characterized by; consisting of; filled with; relating to; resemblingsunny; sandy; smoky; classy

(from verbs) tending to; acting or existing as specifiedleaky; shiny

Word Origin for -y

from Old English -ig, -ǣg

British Dictionary definitions for y (7 of 8)

-y

-ie or -ey

suffix informal

denoting smallness and expressing affection and familiaritya doggy; a granny; Jamie

a person or thing concerned with or characterized by beinga groupie; a fatty

Word Origin for -y

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

British Dictionary definitions for y (8 of 8)

-y

suffix forming nouns

(from verbs) indicating the act of doing what is indicated by the verbal elementinquiry

(esp with combining forms of Greek, Latin, or French origin) indicating state, condition, or qualitygeography; jealousy

Word Origin for -y

from Old French -ie, from Latin -ia

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for y (1 of 5)

Y

a late-developing letter in English. Called ipsilon in German, upsilon in Greek, the English name is of obscure origin. The sound at the beginning of yard, yes, yield, etc. is from Old English words with initial g- as in got and y- as in yet, which were considered the same sound and often transcribed as a character that looks something like 3 (but with a flat top and lower on the line of text), known as yogh. The system was altered by French scribes, who brought over the continental use of -g- and from the early 1200s used -y- and sometimes -gh- to replace 3. There's a good, in-depth discussion of yogh here. As short for YMCA, YWCA, YMHA first recorded 1915.

Word Origin and History for y (1 of 5)

y-

perfective prefix, in y-clept, etc.; a deliberate archaism, introduced by Spenser and his imitators, representing an authentic Middle English prefix, from Old English ge-, originally meaning "with, together" but later a completive or perfective element, from Proto-Germanic *ga-. It is still living in German and Dutch ge-, and survives, disguised, in some English words (e.g. alike, aware, handiwork).

Word Origin and History for y (2 of 5)

-y

suffix in pet proper names (e.g. Johnny, Kitty), first recorded in Scottish, c.1400; became frequent in English 15c.-16c. Extension to surnames seems to date from c.1940. Use with common nouns seems to have begun in Scottish with laddie (1546) and become popular in English due to Burns' poems, but the same formation appears to be represented much earlier in baby and puppy.

Word Origin and History for y (3 of 5)

-y

noun suffix, in army, city, country, etc., from Old French -e, Latin -atus, -atum, pp. suffix of verbs of the first conjugation. In victory, history, etc. it represents Latin -ia, Greek -ia.

Word Origin and History for y (4 of 5)

-y

adjective suffix, "full of or characterized by," from Old English -ig, from Proto-Germanic *-iga (cf. German -ig), cognate with Greek -ikos, Latin -icus.

Medicine definitions for y

Y

The symbol for the elementyttrium

Science definitions for y (1 of 2)

Y

The symbol for yttrium.

Science definitions for y (2 of 2)

yttrium

[ ĭt′rē-əm ]

Y

A silvery metallic element found in the same ores as elements of the lanthanide series. Yttrium is used to strengthen magnesium and aluminum alloys, to provide the red color in color televisions, and as a component of various optical and electronic devices. Atomic number 39; atomic weight 88.906; melting point 1,522°C; boiling point 3,338°C; specific gravity 4.45 (25°C); valence 3. See Periodic Table.

Y, y

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

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Definition for y (2 of 10)

y

Symbol, Mathematics.

Definition for y (3 of 10)

Y

Definition for y (4 of 10)

Y

Definition for y (5 of 10)

Y

Symbol.

Definition for y (6 of 10)

y-

Origin of y-

Definition for y (7 of 10)

-y

Origin of -y

Definition for y (8 of 10)

-y

Origin of -y

Definition for y (9 of 10)

-y

Origin of -y

Definition for y (10 of 10)

y.

Examples from the Web for y

British Dictionary definitions for y (1 of 8)

y

Y

noun plural y's, Y's or Ys

British Dictionary definitions for y (2 of 8)

y

symbol for

British Dictionary definitions for y (3 of 8)

Y

symbol for

British Dictionary definitions for y (4 of 8)

y.

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for y (5 of 8)

Y.

abbreviation for

British Dictionary definitions for y (6 of 8)

-y

-ey

suffix forming adjectives

Word Origin for -y

British Dictionary definitions for y (7 of 8)

-y

-ie or -ey

suffix informal

Word Origin for -y

British Dictionary definitions for y (8 of 8)

-y

suffix forming nouns

Word Origin for -y

Word Origin and History for y (1 of 5)

Y

Word Origin and History for y (1 of 5)

y-

Word Origin and History for y (2 of 5)

-y

Word Origin and History for y (3 of 5)

-y

Word Origin and History for y (4 of 5)

-y

Medicine definitions for y

Y

Science definitions for y (1 of 2)

Y

Science definitions for y (2 of 2)

yttrium

Y