-ई

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /iː/

All forms are ultimately from Sanskrit -इक (-ika):

• Direct singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इउ (-iu), from Prakrit -𑀇𑀕𑁄 (-igo), from Sanskrit -इकः (-ikaḥ)
• Oblique singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इहे (-ihĕ/-ihi, genitive singular), from Prakrit -𑀇𑀕𑀲𑁆𑀲 (-igassa) or -𑀇𑀅𑀲𑁆𑀲 (-iassa), from Sanskrit -इकस्य (-ikasya)
• Vocative singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इअ (-ia), from Prakrit -𑀇𑀕 (-iga), from Sanskrit -इक (-ika)
• Direct plural inherited from Apabhramsa -इअ (-ia), from Prakrit -𑀇𑀕𑀸 (-igā), from Sanskrit -इकाः (-ikāḥ)

See -इयों (-iyõ) and -इयो (-iyo) for the etymologies of those endings specifically. ^[1]

-ई • (-ī) m (Urdu spelling ـی)

1. suffix for some masculine nouns

All forms are ultimately from Sanskrit -इका (-ikā). Specifically,

• Direct singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इअ (-ia), from Prakrit , from Sanskrit -इकाः (-ikāḥ, nominative singular)
• Oblique singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इहे (-ihĕ/-ihi), from Prakrit , from Sanskrit -इकायाः (-ikāyāḥ, genitive singular)
• Vocative singular inherited from Apabhramsa -इए (-iĕ), from Prakrit , from Sanskrit -इके (-ike, vocative singular)

See -इयाँ (-iyā̃), -इयों (-iyõ), and -इयो (-iyo) for the etymologies of those endings specifically. ^[2]

-ई • (-ī) f (Urdu spelling ـی)

1. suffix for many feminine nouns

Inherited from Prakrit -𑀇𑀅 (-ia), from Sanskrit -इक (-ika) or Sanskrit -ईय (-īya). Later influenced by Classical Persian ـی (-ī), from Middle Persian -yk' / 𐭩𐭪𐭩 (yky /⁠-īg⁠/, adjectival suffix), a cognate of Sanskrit -इक (-ika) through Proto-Indo-Iranian *-kas. Also influenced by Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy, nisba suffix), which in Classical Persian becomes ـی (-ī).

-ई • (-ī) (Urdu spelling ـی)

1. relating or belonging to, forms adjectives from nouns

   ‎पहाड़ (pahāṛ, “mountain”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎पहाड़ी (pahāṛī, “mountainous”)

   ‎पंजाब (pañjāb, “Punjab”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎पंजाबी (pañjābī, “Punjabi”)

Borrowed from the nominative singular form of Sanskrit -इन् (-in, “doer, possessor”).

-ई • (-ī) m (Urdu spelling ـی)

1. doer, possessor

   ‎सुख (sukh, “happiness”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎सुखी (sukhī, “happy, possessing happiness”)

   ‎यात्रा (yātrā, “travel”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎यात्री (yātrī, “traveller”)

Borrowed from Classical Persian ـی (-ī), from Middle Persian 𐭩𐭧 (yḥ /⁠-īh⁠/) (forms nouns from adjectives).^[3] Doublet of -गी (-gī).

-ई • (-ī) f (Urdu spelling ـی)

1. forms abstract nouns from adjectives or common nouns

   ‎दोस्त (dost, “friend”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎दोस्ती (dostī, “friendship”)

   ‎बेवक़ूफ़ (bevaqūf, “foolish”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎बेवक़ूफ़ी (bevaqūfī, “foolishness”)

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key):

-ई • (-ī) (Latin script -i, Kannada script -ಈ)

1. suffix found in feminine nouns

• Madhavi Sardesai (2006) A Comparative Linguistic and Cultural Study of Lexical Influences on Konkani‎, Goa University (doctoral thesis)

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /íː/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /iː/

From Proto-Indo-Aryan *-iH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *-iH, from Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂.

-ई • (-ī́) f

1. Feminizes athematic nominal stems

-ई • (-ī́) m

1. nominative singular of -इन् (-ín)