־י

See also: י

Hebrew

Etymology

Compare Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy, “suffix used to derive adjectives and nouns”).

Pronunciation

• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /i/

Suffix

־ִי or ־י • (-i or -í)

2. Used in adjectives with the meaning “related to”. Used as a translation of -ic

   ‎אֱמֶת (emét, “truth”) + ‎־י → ‎אמיתי \ אֲמִתִּי (amití, “real, true”)

   אוֹרְגָּנִי (orgáni, “organic”)

   ‎אָטוֹם (atóm, “atom”) + ‎־י → ‎אָטוֹמִי (atómi, “atomic”)

4. Forming from place names nouns with the meaning “person related to”.

   ‎יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (yerushaláyim, “Jerusalem”) + ‎־י → ‎יְרוּשַׁלְמִי (y'rushálmi, “a Jerusalemite”)

Usage notes

• This suffix is used in many compounds of the form prefix + noun + í, such as חד־פעמי (khád-p'amí, “disposable”), which literally means “single-time-y” or “mono-time-ic”. These compounds are written with either a hyphen or a space.
• This suffix sometimes attaches to a multiword phrase, as for example in ארץ ישראלי (érets-yisra'elí, “of the Land of Israel”). The resulting compounds are written with either a hyphen or a space.

Suffix

־ִי or ־י • (-i or -í)

2. My, of mine, me (one suffix form of the first-person singular personal pronoun).
4. (by extension) -ie, -y Forming diminutive or affectionate forms of nouns or names.

   Synonyms: (slang) ־וּש (-ush), (colloquial) ־לֶה (-le)

   ‎חָמוּד (khamúd, “cute, sweet, charming”) + ‎־י → ‎חֲמוּדִי (khamúdi, “(term of address/endearment) cutie, sweetie”)

Suffix

־ֵי • (-ey)

2. Forming the plural construct form of a word, i.e. the construct form of ־ים.

Derived terms

Hebrew terms suffixed with ־י