"-cy" meaning in English

See -cy in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Suffix

IPA: /-si/, /-sɪj/ [British, Southern, Standard] Forms: -cies [plural]
Etymology: From Anglo-Norman -cie, ultimately from Latin -cia, -tia, Ancient Greek -κια (-kia), -τια (-tia), originally variants of Latin -ia and Ancient Greek -ια (-ia), -ία (-ía) or -εια (-eia). Original loan words like pharmacy and papacy could have formed the model. Etymology templates: {{der|en|xno|-cie}} Anglo-Norman -cie, {{der|en|la|-cia}} Latin -cia, {{der|en|grc|-κια}} Ancient Greek -κια (-kia), {{der|en|la|-ia}} Latin -ia, {{der|en|grc|-ια}} Ancient Greek -ια (-ia) Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} -cy (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -cies)
  1. (non-productive) Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality. Tags: countable, morpheme, uncountable Synonyms (condition or quality): -ness [state], -ity [state], -itude [state], -th [state] Translations (used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy): -cia [feminine] (Galician), -ság/-ség, -ás/-és, -s, -cia (Hungarian), -aggine (Italian), -si (Malay), -cja [feminine] (Polish), -cia (Portuguese), -idade [feminine] (Portuguese), -cia (Spanish), -ez (Spanish), -eza (Spanish), -za (Spanish)
    Sense id: en--cy-en-suffix-HMnDLQga Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages using catfix, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Galician translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Malay translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 72 28 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 80 20 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 66 34 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 68 32 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Galician translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 73 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Malay translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of 'condition or quality': 100 0 Disambiguation of 'used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy': 63 37
  2. (non-productive) Used to form nouns of rank or office. Tags: countable, morpheme, uncountable Synonyms (office): -ate
    Sense id: en--cy-en-suffix-9PjRJL1F Disambiguation of 'office': 0 100

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "-cie"
      },
      "expansion": "Anglo-Norman -cie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-cia"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin -cia",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "-κια"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek -κια (-kia)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-ia"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin -ia",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "-ια"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek -ια (-ia)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Anglo-Norman -cie, ultimately from Latin -cia, -tia, Ancient Greek -κια (-kia), -τια (-tia), originally variants of Latin -ia and Ancient Greek -ια (-ia), -ία (-ía) or -εια (-eia). Original loan words like pharmacy and papacy could have formed the model.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-cies",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "-cy (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -cies)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 34",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using catfix",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "68 32",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Galician translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "73 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Malay translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "private + -cy → privacy",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "frequent + -cy → frequency",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "obstinate + -cy → obstinacy",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality."
      ],
      "id": "en--cy-en-suffix-HMnDLQga",
      "links": [
        [
          "productive",
          "productive"
        ],
        [
          "state",
          "state#English"
        ],
        [
          "condition",
          "condition#English"
        ],
        [
          "quality",
          "quality#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "non-productive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(non-productive) Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "condition or quality",
          "topics": [
            "state"
          ],
          "word": "-ness"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "condition or quality",
          "topics": [
            "state"
          ],
          "word": "-ity"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "condition or quality",
          "topics": [
            "state"
          ],
          "word": "-itude"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "sense": "condition or quality",
          "topics": [
            "state"
          ],
          "word": "-th"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "lang_code": "gl",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "-cia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-ság/-ség, -ás/-és, -s, -cia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-aggine"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "lang_code": "ms",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-si"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "-cja"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "lang_code": "pt",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-cia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "lang_code": "pt",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "-idade"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-cia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-ez"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-eza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "63 37",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
          "word": "-za"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "president + -cy → presidency",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "abbot + -cy → abbacy",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "magistrate + -cy → magistracy",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form nouns of rank or office."
      ],
      "id": "en--cy-en-suffix-9PjRJL1F",
      "links": [
        [
          "productive",
          "productive"
        ],
        [
          "rank",
          "rank#English"
        ],
        [
          "office",
          "office#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "non-productive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(non-productive) Used to form nouns of rank or office."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "sense": "office",
          "word": "-ate"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/-si/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-sɪj/",
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "Southern",
        "Standard"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-cy"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English countable suffixes",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English noun-forming suffixes",
    "English suffixes",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Anglo-Norman",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English uncountable suffixes",
    "English unproductive suffixes",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages using catfix",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Galician translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Malay translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "-cie"
      },
      "expansion": "Anglo-Norman -cie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-cia"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin -cia",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "-κια"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek -κια (-kia)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "-ia"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin -ia",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "-ια"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek -ια (-ia)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Anglo-Norman -cie, ultimately from Latin -cia, -tia, Ancient Greek -κια (-kia), -τια (-tia), originally variants of Latin -ia and Ancient Greek -ια (-ia), -ία (-ía) or -εια (-eia). Original loan words like pharmacy and papacy could have formed the model.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-cies",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "-cy (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -cies)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "private + -cy → privacy",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "frequent + -cy → frequency",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "obstinate + -cy → obstinacy",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "productive",
          "productive"
        ],
        [
          "state",
          "state#English"
        ],
        [
          "condition",
          "condition#English"
        ],
        [
          "quality",
          "quality#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "non-productive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(non-productive) Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "president + -cy → presidency",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "abbot + -cy → abbacy",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "magistrate + -cy → magistracy",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form nouns of rank or office."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "productive",
          "productive"
        ],
        [
          "rank",
          "rank#English"
        ],
        [
          "office",
          "office#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "non-productive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(non-productive) Used to form nouns of rank or office."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/-si/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-sɪj/",
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "Southern",
        "Standard"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "condition or quality",
      "topics": [
        "state"
      ],
      "word": "-ness"
    },
    {
      "sense": "condition or quality",
      "topics": [
        "state"
      ],
      "word": "-ity"
    },
    {
      "sense": "condition or quality",
      "topics": [
        "state"
      ],
      "word": "-itude"
    },
    {
      "sense": "condition or quality",
      "topics": [
        "state"
      ],
      "word": "-th"
    },
    {
      "sense": "office",
      "word": "-ate"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "lang_code": "gl",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "-cia"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-ság/-ség, -ás/-és, -s, -cia"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-aggine"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "lang_code": "ms",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-si"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "-cja"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-cia"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "-idade"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-cia"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-ez"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-eza"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "used to form nouns of state, condition or quality e.g. obstinacy",
      "word": "-za"
    }
  ],
  "word": "-cy"
}

Download raw JSONL data for -cy meaning in English (5.0kB)

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/1698",
  "msg": "unrecognized head form: noun-forming suffix",
  "path": [
    "-cy"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "suffix",
  "title": "-cy",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-06-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-06-01 using wiktextract (03da280 and 7f4db16). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.