-ety
suffixEtymology Cognate of -ity, ultimately from Latin -(i)tās. See more at -ity.
1
Morpheme Used to indicate qualities or states.
- contrary + -ety → contrariety
-ety
suffixEtymology In some uses, apparently an alteration of -edy, as seen in jaggedy, raggedy, scaredy, etc.; equivalent to -ed + -y. The alteration of -d- to -t- is perhaps due to Scottish influence, where it is common for the past participle of Scots verbs to end in -et/-it rather than -ed as in English. In other usage, perhaps imitative of repeated action, equivalent to -et + -y. In any case, it is used almost exclusively in sound-symbolic or expressive words.
› Added to monosyllabic words, typically verbs…
1
Morpheme Often with frequentative force.
- jig + -ety → jiggety
- hip-hop + -ety → hippety-hoppety
1 more example
- yack + -ety → yackety-yak
2
Morpheme Also seen in other fanciful compounds.
- dig + -ety → diggety, hot diggety dog
- lick + -ety → lickety, lickety-split