-iyya

Hausa

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic ـِيَّة (-iyya).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-íj.jàː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [-ɪ́j.jàː]

Suffix

-iyyā̀ f

1. Used as a nisba suffix to form abstract nouns, often for systems or periods of time.

Usage notes

This suffix is largely nonproductive, but has been extended to some words, both derived from Arabic and not. The tone pattern it sets is low-high-low.