-cy
suffixUK /-sɪj/ · /-si/
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.
1
Morpheme Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality.
- private + -cy → privacy
- frequent + -cy → frequency
1 more example
- obstinate + -cy → obstinacy
2
Morpheme Used to form nouns of rank or office.
- president + -cy → presidency
- abbot + -cy → abbacy
1 more example
- magistrate + -cy → magistracy