Etymology From Middle English i-, y-, ȝe-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱó-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with, near, by, along”). Cognate with Dutch ge-, Low German ge-, je-, e-, German ge-.
1
Morpheme, Obsolete Used to form past participles of verbs. Alternative spelling of y-.
i-
prefix
Etymology From Latin i-, assimilated form of in- used before gn-.
1
Morpheme A form of the prefix in-, used before gn, as in ignoble, ignominy, and ignore.
Jamaica, Morpheme Used to transform English words into words used by Rastafarians with a special meaning.
i-
prefix
Etymology English i- From Internet. Popularized in the name of the iMac line of computers (1998).
1
Morpheme Pertaining to the Internet.
2
Morpheme Pertaining to digital devices and computer programs, especially those that are cutting-edge or fashionable, and those from Apple.
i- + pod → iPod
i- + phone → iPhone
3 more examples
i- + Mac → iMac
I-WHAT?! Seems everyone's ripping off the iMac idea. Take this parody ad for the fruity-colored “iBrator” at sleeplessknights.com.1999 November 1, Melissa August, “Ad Infinitum”, in Time, volume 154, page 39:
In our “iWorld” of new gadgets and cool widgets, help us to ponder the reality that over half of the population on the earth exists on three of our American dollars, or less, a day.2011, Scotty Smith, Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith, Baker Books, →ISBN, page 178: