-ry

/ɹi/

A form of -ery — Added to occupational etc. nouns to form other nouns meaning the "art, craft, or practice of."

OriginMiddle English -re, -ri, -rie, -ry, -rye ← ['enm ', →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of -ery.

Origin

  1. ['enm',
  2. Middle English-re, -ri, -rie, -ry, -rye
  3. English-ry

Inherited from Middle English -re, -ri, -rie, -ry, -rye, an apheretic form of -erie, borrowed from Old French -erie, from -ier + -ie.

More words from Middle English, ['enm

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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