Dictionary

-i en · X · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• ē
• /iː/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Afroasiatic Proto-Semitic Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy)bor. Hebrew ־י (-i)bor. Middle Persian yḥ (īh) Middle Persian ig Persian ـی (-ī)bor. Proto-Indo-Iranian *i- Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Indo-Iranian *-kas Proto-Indo-Iranian *-ikas Sanskrit -इक (-ika) Proto-Indo-Iranian *-iHyas Sanskrit -ईय (-īya) Prakrit -इय (-iya) ▲ Classical Persian ـِی (-ī)influ. ▲ Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy)influ. ▲ Sanskrit -ई (-ī)influ. Hindi -ई (-ī)bor. Urdu ـی (-ī)bor. English -i A conflation of the following suffixes: * For Semitic-speaking places, from the Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy) (nisba suffix) and from Hebrew ־י (-i), both sharing a common Semitic root. * For Indo-Iranian-speaking places, from Persian ـی (-ī) and Hindustani Hindi -ई (-ī) / Urdu ـی (-ī). In English, productive since the 19th century.

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Used to form adjectives, nouns, demonyms (describing people of a particular city, region or country) or genonyms (describing people of a particular tribe, clan or family) and the language spoken by these people.
   • Marwar + -i → Marwari
   • Iran + -i → Irani
   • Awadh + -i → Awadhi
   • Israel + -i → Israeli
   • Gujarat + -i → Gujarati
   • Kashmir + -i → Kashmiri
   • Rajasthan + -i → Rajasthani
   • Hind + -i → Hindi
   • Chenab + -i → Chenabi
   • Bihar + -i → Bihari
   • According to Collins Dictionary and Wiktionary, the term was coined in 2017 by journalist Anzer Ayoob, the term Chenabi is derived from the Chenab River, with the suffix “-i”, commonly used to denote belonging. 2025 July 24, Mubasher Sharief Pathan, “Chenab Valley United”, in Precious Kashmir, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2025:
   • Bengal + -i → Bengali
   • Iraq + -i → Iraqi
   • Pakistan + -i → Pakistani
   • Baghdad + -i → Baghdadi
   • Hindustan + -i → Hindustani
   • Punjab + -i → Punjabi
   • Kabul + -i → Kabuli
   • Kannauj + -i → Kannauji
   • Pak + -i → Paki
   • Afghan + -i → Afghani
   • Nepal + -i → Nepali
   • Sindh + -i → Sindhi

Relateds

-er · -stan

Translations (9)

he ־ִי (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · pa -ਈ (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · ar ـِيّ (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · gl -í (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · fa ـی (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · hi -ई (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · es -í (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · ur ـی (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East)) · hu -i (suffix to form a demonym (especially in the Middle East))

-i en · X · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• ē
• /aɪ/ (English, traditional)
• /iː/ rare; imitation of the original Latin or of Italian
• ī

Etymology

From Latin -ī (nominative plural).

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Forms an alternative plural ending for various words borrowed from Latin that end in ⟨us⟩ in the singular.
   • focus + -i → foci
   • radius + -i → radii
2. (morpheme, nonstandard, proscribed, sometimes) Forms an alternative plural ending for various words borrowed from Latin that end in ⟨us⟩ in the singular. ▸ Forms an alternative plural ending for various words that end in ⟨us⟩ in the singular, despite not being borrowed from Latin.
   • amogus + -i → amogi
   • platypus + -i → platypi

-i en · X · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• ē
• /iː/

Etymology

From Italian -i (masculine plural), from Latin -ī (see etymology 2).

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Forms an alternative plural ending for words borrowed from Italian that end in ⟨o⟩ or ⟨e⟩ in the singular.
   • concerto + -i → concerti
   • calzone + -i → calzoni
   • cognoscente + -i → cognoscenti

-i en · X · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• ē
• /iː/

Etymology

Variant of -ie or -y.

Meanings

1. (morpheme) Used to form diminutives of given names.
   • Becki, Benji, Jimmi, Lexi, Nicki, Sammi, Sandi, Trini, Vicki