ie









ie


  1. Indo-European.

  1. that is.

  1. Indo-European.
  2. Industrial Engineer.

  1. variant of -y2.

  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 of -y2 (-ie) is 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 of -y2 (-ie) has been lost are now standard in formal written English (goalie; movie).

the internet domain name for

  1. Ireland

abbreviation for

  1. Indo-European (languages)

suffix forming nouns

  1. a variant of -y 2

abbreviation for

  1. id est

suffix forming adjectives

  1. (from nouns) characterized by; consisting of; filled with; relating to; resemblingsunny; sandy; smoky; classy
  2. (from verbs) tending to; acting or existing as specifiedleaky; shiny

suffix informal

  1. denoting smallness and expressing affection and familiaritya doggy; a granny; Jamie
  2. a person or thing concerned with or characterized by beinga groupie; a fatty

suffix forming nouns

  1. (from verbs) indicating the act of doing what is indicated by the verbal elementinquiry
  2. (esp with combining forms of Greek, Latin, or French origin) indicating state, condition, or qualitygeography; jealousy

abbreviation of Latin id est, literally “that is;” used in English in the sense of “that is to say.”

3

suffix in pet proper names (e.g. Johnny, Kitty), first recorded in Scottish, c.1400; became frequent in English 15c.-16c. Extension to surnames seems to date from c.1940. Use with common nouns seems to have begun in Scottish with laddie (1546) and become popular in English due to Burns’ poems, but the same formation appears to be represented much earlier in baby and puppy.

1

noun suffix, in army, city, country, etc., from Old French -e, Latin -atus, -atum, pp. suffix of verbs of the first conjugation. In victory, history, etc. it represents Latin -ia, Greek -ia.

2

adjective suffix, “full of or characterized by,” from Old English -ig, from Proto-Germanic *-iga (cf. German -ig), cognate with Greek -ikos, Latin -icus.

alternative spelling of -y; now mostly of -y (3), but formerly of others.

An abbreviation for id est, a Latin phrase meaning “that is.” It indicates that an explanation or paraphrase is about to follow: “Many workers expect to put in a forty-hour week — i.e., to work eight hours a day.” (Compare e.g.)

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