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-i-. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-i-, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-i- in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-i- you have here. The definition of the word
-i- will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
-i-, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology 1
From Latin -i-.
Interfix
-i-
- (in coining neologisms) A vowel inserted interconsonantally between morphemes of Latinate origin in order to ease pronunciation (an anaptyxis, a linking vowel).
Derived terms
See also
References
- The Concise Oxford English Dictionary lists -i- as an entry.
Etymology 2
The initial vowel of primate.
Interfix
-i-
- (pharmacology) a monoclonal antibody derived from a non-human primate source
- -mab is the base suffix common to all monoclonal antibodies. (See that entry for full paradigm.)
References
- USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, U.S. Pharmacopeia, 2000
Etymology 3
A word-internal spelling variant of a word-final y.
Suffix
-i-
- A spelling variant of a word-final -y vowel when followed by a suffix that does not begin with an i, for example -ied, -ier, -iest.
- happiness (happy + -ness)
- penniless (penny + -less)
- beautiful (beauty + -ful)
- In compound words, a spelling variant of a final or suffixed -y vowel in the first word.
- pantiliner (panty + liner)
Usage notes
This convention applies to any final y vowel, not just to the suffix -y. It does not apply to digraph vowels ending in y and followed by a suffix -s, for example lay → lays (cf. laid, lain), nor to a single-letter y vowel before a suffix such as -ing that begin with an i, for example spying (cf. spies, spied). There is no pattern predicting when the spelling change happens; for example, penniless is far more common than pennyless, but babiless is very rare.
Czech
Interfix
-i-
- connecting two parts of some compound words
- konipas (kůň + -i- + pást)
Derived terms
Finnish
Etymology 1
From Proto-Finnic *-i-, from Proto-Uralic *-j (oblique plural marker).
Interfix
-i-
- Plural marker in nominal forms, except in nominative case, in which it is -t.
- talossa - taloissa ― in the house - in the houses
Usage notes
- if the plural indicator is between two vowels it becomes -j-
- talon - talojen ― of the house - of the houses
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Proto-Finnic *-i-, from Proto-Uralic *-j (past tense marker).
Interfix
-i-
- Past tense marker in verbs.
- katson - katsoin ― I watch - I watched
Latin
Etymology
From the reduction of several historical unstressed short stem vowels during the Old Latin period. The reduced vowel was later reinterpreted as part of various suffixes.
Interfix
-i-
- Connecting vowel inserted between a stem and a suffix or other appended words in compound words.
Derived terms
Old Irish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (realized on the following consonant)
Palatalization of a word-final consonant or consonant cluster is indicated by the insertion of an orthographic ⟨i⟩ before the letter(s) representing the consonant(s).
Simulfix
-i-
- Creates i-stem adjectives from prefixed bases.
- so- (“good”) + nert (“strength”) + -i- → sonairt (“strong”, literally “(with) good strength”)
- dí- + folud + -i- → deolaid (“gratuitous”)
- ess- (privative prefix) + ómun (“fear”) + -i- → esamain (“fearless”)
- Marks various inflections, including:
- the genitive singular of masculine and neuter o-stem nouns and o/ā- and u-stem adjectives
- the vocative singular and nominative plural of masculine o-stem nouns and o/ā-stem adjectives
- the accusative and dative singular of feminine ā-stem nouns and o/ā- and u-stem adjectives
- the nominative, vocative and accusative dual of feminine ā-stem nouns
- the accusative and dative singular; nominative, vocative and accusative dual; and nominative plural of masculine and feminine consonant-stem nouns
- the dative singular of neuter consonant-stem nouns
- the third-person singular absolute and conjunct of suffixless preterite active verb forms
- the third-person singular absolute of present s-subjunctive active verb forms
Derived terms
Further reading
Old Polish
Pronunciation
Interfix
-i-
- used in forming certain compounds
Derived terms
Descendants
Polish
Etymology
Inherited from Old Polish -i-.
Pronunciation
Interfix
-i-
- used in forming certain compounds
- łamać + strajk → łamistrajk
Derived terms
See also
Further reading
- -i- in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Spanish
Interfix
-i-
- forms compounds
Derived terms
Swahili
Infix
-i-
- it, them; mi class(IV)/n class(IX) object concord
See also
Swahili verbal concords (third person)