English

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Etymology 1

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From Latin -i-.

Interfix

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-i-

  1. (in coining neologisms) A vowel inserted interconsonantally between morphemes of Latinate origin in order to ease pronunciation (an anaptyxis, a linking vowel).
Derived terms
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See also
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  • -o- (the Greek parallel)

References

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  • The Concise Oxford English Dictionary [Eleventh Edition] lists -i- as an entry.

Etymology 2

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The initial vowel of primate.

Interfix

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-i-

  1. (pharmacology) a monoclonal antibody derived from a non-human primate source
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  • -mab is the base suffix common to all monoclonal antibodies. (See that entry for full paradigm.)
References
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  • USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, U.S. Pharmacopeia, 2000

Etymology 3

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A word-internal spelling variant of a word-final y.

Suffix

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-i-

  1. 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)
  2. In compound words, a spelling variant of a final or suffixed -y vowel in the first word.
    pantiliner (panty +‎ liner)
Usage notes
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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 laylays (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

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Interfix

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-i-

  1. connecting two parts of some compound words
    konipas (kůň +‎ -i- +‎ pást)

Derived terms

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Finnish

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Etymology 1

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From Proto-Finnic *-i-, from Proto-Uralic *-j (oblique plural marker).

Interfix

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-i-

  1. Plural marker in nominal forms, except in nominative case, in which it is -t.
    talossa - taloissain the house - in the houses
Usage notes
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  • if the plural indicator is between two vowels it becomes -j-
    talon - talojenof the house - of the houses
Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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From Proto-Finnic *-i-, from Proto-Uralic *-j (past tense marker).

Interfix

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-i-

  1. Past tense marker in verbs.
    katson - katsoinI watch - I watched

Latin

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Etymology

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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

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-i-

  1. Connecting vowel inserted between a stem and a suffix or other appended words in compound words.

Derived terms

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Old Irish

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ʲ] (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

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-i-

  1. 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)
  2. Marks various inflections, including:
    1. the genitive singular of masculine and neuter o-stem nouns and o/ā- and u-stem adjectives
    2. the vocative singular and nominative plural of masculine o-stem nouns and o/ā-stem adjectives
    3. the accusative and dative singular of feminine ā-stem nouns and o/ā- and u-stem adjectives
    4. the nominative, vocative and accusative dual of feminine ā-stem nouns
    5. the accusative and dative singular; nominative, vocative and accusative dual; and nominative plural of masculine and feminine consonant-stem nouns
    6. the dative singular of neuter consonant-stem nouns
    7. the third-person singular absolute and conjunct of suffixless preterite active verb forms
    8. the third-person singular absolute of present s-subjunctive active verb forms

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Old Polish

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Pronunciation

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Interfix

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-i-

  1. used in forming certain compounds

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Polish: -i-

Polish

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Polish -i-.

Pronunciation

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Interfix

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-i-

  1. used in forming certain compounds
    łamać + strajkłamistrajk

Derived terms

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See also

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Further reading

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  • -i- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Spanish

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Interfix

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-i-

  1. forms compounds

Derived terms

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Swahili

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Infix

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-i-

  1. it, them; mi class(IV)/n class(IX) object concord

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