-ity

UK/əti/UK/ɪti/Canada, US[əɾi]Canada, US[ɾi]

suffix

Used to form an uncountable noun from an adjective; especially, to form the noun referring to the state, property, or quality of conforming to the adjective's description.

“hip + -ity → hippity, hippity-hop”

OriginMiddle English -ite ← Old French -ite ← Latin -itātem →
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Meanings

-ity1

suffix-ity (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -ities)

plural -ities · alternative -ty · alternative ⠰⠽

  1. countableuncountableUsed to form an uncountable noun from an adjective; especially, to form the noun referring to the state, property, or quality of conforming to the adjective's description.

    modern + -ity → modernity (“the quality of being modern or contemporary”)

    3 more examples

    absurd + -ity → absurdity (“the quality of being absurd or inconsistent with obvious truth, reason, or sound judgment”)

    anonym(ous) + -ity → anonymity (“the quality or state of being anonymous”)

    precar(ious) + -ity → precarity (“a condition of existence without predictability or security, affecting material or psychological welfare”)

  2. countableuncountableUsed to form a countable noun from an adjective, referring to someone or something that conforms to the adjective's description.

    anonym(ous) + -ity → [an] anonymity (“that which is anonymous”)

    3 more examples

    absurd + -ity → [an] absurdity (“that which is absurd; an absurd action; a logical contradiction”)

    insipid + -ity → [an] insipidity (“something that is insipid; an insipid utterance, sight, object, etc.”)

    odd + -ity → [an] oddity (“an odd or strange thing or opinion; a strange person; an oddball”)

  3. countableuncountableUsed to form other nouns, especially abstract nouns.

-ity2

suffix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of -ety.

    hip + -ity → hippity, hippity-hop

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
-cy-hood-ness-ship-th

Origin

-ity · suffix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*-teh₂ts
  2. Latin-itātem
  3. Old French-ite
  4. Middle English-ite
  5. English-ity

From Middle English -ite, -itee, from Old French -ite, -ete, -eteit (“-ity”), from Latin -itātem, from -itās, from Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts (suffix). Cognate with Gothic -𐌹𐌸𐌰 (-iþa, “-th”), Old High German -ida (“-th”), Old English -þo, -þu, -þ (“-th”). More at -th. By surface analysis, -i- (“connecting vowel”) + -ty.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

-ity · suffix

Variant of -ety, likely an alteration of -edy, equivalent to -ed + -y.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans -iteit
  • -iteitUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Basque -itate
  • -itateUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Catalan -itat, -tat
  • -itatUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -tatUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Chinese Mandarin 性
  • 性 (xìng)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Czech -ita
  • -itaUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Danish -itet, -hed
  • -itetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -hedUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Dutch -heid, -iteit
  • -heidUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -iteitUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Estonian -iteet
  • -iteetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Finnish -uus, -iteetti
  • -uusUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -iteettiUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
French -ité, -té
  • -itéUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -téUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
German -ität
  • -itätUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Greek -ότητα
  • -ότητα (-ótita)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Hebrew ־וּת
  • ־וּת (-ut)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Hungarian -itás
  • -itásUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Indonesian -itas
  • -itasUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Italian -ità
  • -itàUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Japanese 性
  • 性 (sei)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Korean 성
  • 성 (seong)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Latin -itas
  • -itasUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Latvian -itāte
  • -itāteUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Malay -iti, -itet
  • -itiUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -itetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -itasUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • ke--anUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Norwegian Bokmål -itet
  • -itetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Polish -ość
  • -ośćUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Portuguese -idade, -dade
  • -idadeUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -dadeUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Romanian -itate, -tate
  • -itateUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -tateUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -ătateUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -eațăUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -ețeUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -ieUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Russian -ность, -ите́т
  • -ность (-nostʹ)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -ите́т (-itét)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -ство (-stvo)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Slovak -ita
  • -itaUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Spanish -idad, -edad
  • -idadUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -edadUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -dadUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Swahili u-
  • u-Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Swedish -het, -itet
  • -hetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -itetUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Tagalog -idad
  • -idadUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Tamil -மை
  • -மை (-mai)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Turkish -lük, -luk
  • -lükUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -lukUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -lıkUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -likUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
  • -iteUsed to form nouns from adjectives.
Ukrainian -іте́т
  • -іте́т (-itét)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Yiddish ־יטעט
  • ־יטעט (-itet)Used to form nouns from adjectives.
Cite this entry
APA

-ity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ity

MLA

“-ity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ity. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ity,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ity.

Source: -ity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.