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y

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

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 \

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 connotation stagy
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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Dictionary Entries near y

xyst

xystum

xystus

y

Y

-y

y'all

Statistics for y

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for y

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

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More Definitions for y

Y

symbol

Financial Definition of Y

What It Is

Y is a ticker-symbol extension that signifies that a stock is an American Depository Receipt.

How It Works

Issued by U.S. banks, American Depository Receipts (ADRs) are certificates that represent shares of a foreign stock owned by the issuing bank. The foreign shares are usually held in custody overseas, but the certificates trade in the U.S. Through this system, a large number of foreign-based companies are actively traded on one of the three major U.S. equity markets (the NYSE, AMEX, or Nasdaq).

On the Nasdaq market, for example, the letter Y after the ticker (if its ticker were XYZC, an XYZ Company ADR would look like this: XYZC-Y) to denote that the security is an ADR.

Why It Matters

ADRs give U.S. investors the ability to easily purchase shares in foreign firms, and they are typically much more convenient and cost effective for domestic investors (versus purchasing stocks in overseas markets). And because many foreign firms are involved in industries and geographical markets where U.S. multinationals don't have a presence, investors often use ADRs to help diversify their portfolio on a much more global scale.

Accordingly, it is very important to understand what ticker extensions mean.

Source: Investing Answers

y

noun

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

y

noun, often capitalized
\ ˈwī \
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

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Y

symbol

Medical Definition of Y

yttrium

More from Merriam-Webster on y

Spanish Central: Translation of y

Nglish: Translation of y for Spanish Speakers

Comments on y

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