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y

noun (1), often capitalized, often attributive
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\ ˈwī How to pronounce y (audio) \
plural y's or ys\ ˈwīz How to pronounce y (audio) \

Definition of y

 (Entry 1 of 8)

1a : the 25th letter of the English alphabet
b : a graphic representation of this letter
c : a speech counterpart of orthographic y
2 : a graphic device for reproducing the letter y
3 : one designated y especially as the 25th in order or class or the second in order or class when x is made the first
4 : something shaped like the letter Y

y

abbreviation

Definition of y (Entry 2 of 8)

1 yard
2 year

Y

noun (2)
\ ˈwī How to pronounce Y (audio) \

Definition of Y (Entry 3 of 8)

1 : ymca
2 : ywca

Y

symbol

Definition of Y (Entry 4 of 8)

yttrium

-y

adjective suffix
variants: or less commonly -ey \ ē ; in some dialects, especially British, Southern US, and New England, often  i but not shown at individual entries \

Definition of -y (Entry 5 of 8)

1a : characterized by : full of blossomy dirty muddy clayey
b : having the character of : composed of icy waxy
c : like : like that of homey wintry —often with a disparaging connotationstagy
2a : tending or inclined to sleepy chatty
b : giving occasion for (specified) action teary
c : performing (specified) action curly

-y

noun suffix (1)
\ same \
plural -ies

Definition of -y (Entry 6 of 8)

1 : state : condition : quality beggary
2 : activity, place of business, or goods dealt with chandlery laundry
3 : whole body or group soldiery

-y

noun suffix (2)
plural -ies

Definition of -y (Entry 7 of 8)

: instance of a (specified) action entreaty inquiry

-y

noun suffix (3)

Definition of -y (Entry 8 of 8)

— see -ie

Examples of y in a Sentence

Noun (1) a word that starts with a y a word that starts with y

First Known Use of y

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for y

Adjective suffix

Middle English, from Old English -ig; akin to Old High German -īg -y, Latin -icus, Greek -ikos, Sanskrit -ika

Noun suffix (1)

Middle English -ie, from Anglo-French, from Latin -ia, from Greek -ia, -eia

Noun suffix (2)

Middle English -ie, from Anglo-French, from Latin -ium

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Time Traveler for y

Time Traveler

The first known use of y was before the 12th century

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Statistics for y

Cite this Entry

“Y.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/y. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for y

y

noun
How to pronounce -y (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of y

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: the 25th letter of the English alphabet
mathematics —used to represent especially a second unknown quantity
—used in the phrase x, y, and z to refer to the second thing in a group of three unnamed things

-y

adjective suffix

English Language Learners Definition of -y (Entry 2 of 2)

: full or having a lot of something
: having the qualities of something : made of or seeming to be made of something
: resembling something

See the full definition for -y in the English Language Learners Dictionary

y

noun, often capitalized
\ ˈwī How to pronounce y (audio) \
plural y's or ys\ ˈwīz \

Kids Definition of y

: the 25th letter of the English alphabet

-y

adjective suffix
variants: also -ey \ ē \
-ier; -iest

Kids Definition of -y

 (Entry 1 of 5)

1 : showing, full of, or made of dirty muddy icy
2 : like wintry
3 : devoted to : enthusiastic about
4 : tending to sleepy
5 : somewhat : rather chilly

-y

noun suffix
\ ē \
plural -ies

Kids Definition of -y (Entry 2 of 5)

1 : state : condition : quality jealousy
2 : activity, place of business, or goods dealt with laundry
3 : whole body or group

-y

noun suffix
plural -ies

Kids Definition of -y (Entry 3 of 5)

: occasion or example of a specified action entreaty inquiry

-y

Kids Definition of -y (Entry 4 of 5)

see -ie

Y

symbol

Medical Definition of Y

yttrium

More from Merriam-Webster on y

Nglish: Translation of y for Spanish Speakers

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