English

Suffix

-ie

1. Forming diminutive or affectionate forms of nouns or names.
   • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl:

     "Polly, I wish you 'd let me call you Marie," said Fanny one day, as they were shopping together.

     "You may call me Mary, if you like; but I won't have any ie put on to my name. I'm Polly at home and I'm fond of being called so; but Marie is Frenchified and silly."

     "I spell my own name with an ie, and so do all the girls."

     "And what a jumble of Netties, Nellies, Hatties, and Sallies there is. How 'Pollie' would look spelt so!"

   dear → dearie

   sweet → sweetie

   Katherine → Kathie/Cathy

   Bill → Billy

2. (occasionally, sometimes derogatory) Suffix forming noun signifying person associated with suffixed noun or verb.

   bike → bikie

   surf → surfie

   town → townie

Translations

Derived terms

Afrikaans

Alternative forms

• -etjie
• -jie
• -kie
• -pie
• -tjie

Etymology

From Dutch -je.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i/

Suffix

-ie ‎(plural -ies)

1. Forms a diminutive noun

Usage notes

• The suffix -ie is used in nouns that end in -b, -f, -g, -k, -p, -s. Nouns ending in other sounds use one of the alternative forms above.

Czech

Suffix

-ie f

1. A suffix denoting a branch of science or study, similar to -ics.

Synonyms

• -ika

Derived terms

• ekonomie f
• ekonometrie f
• pediatrie f
• psychometrie f

See also

• -nomie f
• -logie f

Dutch

Suffix

-ie f

1. A variant of -ij

Derived terms

• astronomie
• fantasie
• theorie

See also

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin -ia, a suffix used to create abstract nouns, and from Ancient Greek -ία ‎(-ía), -εια ‎(-eia).

Suffix

-ie

1. indicates a feminine noun, often an abstract one

Derived terms

Latin

Suffix

-ie

1. vocative masculine singular of -ius

Middle French

Suffix

-ie

1. indicates a feminine noun, often an abstract one

Derived terms

Descendants

• French: -ie

Middle High German

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French -ie, from Latin -ia.

Suffix

-īe f

1. used to create female abstract nouns

Descendants

• German: -ei
• Yiddish: ־ײַ ‎(-ay)

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -ia.

Suffix

-ie

1. indicates a feminine noun, often an abstract one

Derived terms

Descendants

• Middle French: -ie
  • French: -ie
• Middle High German: -ie

Romanian

Etymology

Probably from Latin -īlia, neuter plural of -īlis. Less likely from Latin -ia. Compare Aromanian -ilji, -ilje.

Suffix

-ie f ‎(plural -ii)

1. Used with a stem to create an (usually abstract) noun relating to it; can be compared to -ship, -hood, -ness, -ity, etc.

Declension

Derived terms

See also

• -ărie
• -eață
• -ime
• -tate
• -ciune