Definition of Y (original) (raw)

often attributive

1

a

: 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

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

circa 1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

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