Y, y: Meaning and Definition of

Y

Pronunciation: (wī), [key]
— pl. Y's Ys, y's ys.
  1. the 25th letter of the English alphabet, a semivowel.
  2. any spoken sound represented by the letter Y or y, as in yet, city, or rhythm.
  3. something having the shape of a
  4. a written or printed representation of the letter Y or y.
  5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter Y or y.

Y

Pronunciation: (wī), [key]
  1. the YMCA, YWCA, YMHA, or YWHA.

Y

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. yen (def. 1).

Y

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the 25th in order or in a series, or, when I is omitted, the 24th.
  2. (sometimes l.c.) the medieval Roman numeral for 150. Cf.
  3. (sometimes l.c.)admittance.
  4. yttrium.
  5. tyrosine.

y

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. an unknown quantity.
  2. (in Cartesian coordinates) the y-axis.

y-

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a prefix occurring in certain obsolete words (ywis) and esp. in archaic past participles: yclad.

-y

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. 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.

-y

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. 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 ofis 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 ofhas been lost are now standard in formal written English (goalie; movie).

-y

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

y.

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. yard; yards.
  2. year; years.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.