-y

DEFINITION of -y

forms abstract nouns: condition (of), state (of)

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ETYMOLOGY of -y

latin

Component	Origin	Meaning
-y	English -y (from Old English -ig / -u), adapted from Latin -ia and Greek -ία (ia)	Noun-forming suffix — “condition of,” “state of,” “quality of”

The suffix entered English medical usage in the 1800s as -y (noun-forming suffix), used to form abstract condition/state nouns from Greek and Latin roots, often adapting the Latin -ia or Greek -ία ending into the native English -y pattern. The root -y (“condition”) connects -y to the entire condition and state suffixes: astheny (asthen- + -y $\to$ condition of weakness), cachexy (cachex- + -y $\to$ condition of bad nutrition/emaciation), and arthralgy (arthro- + alg- + -y $\to$ condition of joint pain). The noun-forming suffix -y is productive in medicine, pathology, and general clinical description: e.g., dyspnea (cf. dyspnoea $\to$ dyspnea), somnolency (cf. -ence), febrility (cf. -ity), and cachexy.

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RELATED TERMS to -y

-y	condition (of)	state (of)	-
-a	Yes	Yes	-
-ema	Yes	Yes	-
-esis	Yes	Yes	-
-ism	Yes	Yes	quality (of)
-ismus	Yes	Yes	muscular spasm
-ia	Yes	Yes	-
-sis	Yes	Yes	-
-ty	Yes	Yes	-

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DERIVATIONS of -y

TABLE definition AS Definition 
WHERE length(filter(roots, (word) => econtains([[]].roots, word))) > 0 AND file.name != [[]].file.name
SORT file.name ASC

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Query

TABLE definition AS Definition
FROM #medroot
WHERE length(filter(definition, (word) => econtains([[]].definition, word))) > 0 AND file.name != [[]].file.name

Med terms dictionary