Meanings
-ety1
alternative -edy · alternative -iddy · alternative -ity · alternative -oty
- Added to monosyllabic words, typically verbs or nouns, to form adjectives characteristic of the verb or noun.
- Often with frequentative force.
jig + -ety → jiggety
2 more examples
hip-hop + -ety → hippety-hoppety
yack + -ety → yackety-yak
- Also seen in other fanciful compounds.
lick + -ety → lickety, lickety-split
1 more example
dig + -ety → diggety, hot diggety dog
-ety2
Origin
-ety · suffix
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.
Full word history & related roots →-ety · suffix
- Latin-(i)tās
- English-ety
Cognate of -ity, ultimately from Latin -(i)tās. See more at -ity.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
-ety. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ety
“-ety.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ety. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ety,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ety.
Source: -ety on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.