Meanings
prefix
alternative i- · alternative Devon a-
- idiomaticobsoleteUsed with past participle conjugations to form past participles.
ybaptized, ybarred, yclad, yclept, yronne, yslain ― baptized, barred, clothed, cleped, run, slain
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
- Proto-Germanic*ga-
- Proto-West Germanic*ga-
- Old Englishġe-
- Middle Englishy-
- Englishy-
Inherited from Middle English y-, from Old English ġe- (perfective and associative prefix); see those entries for more. Cognate with German ge-, Yiddish גע־ (ge-).
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
y-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/y-
MLA
“y-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/y-. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “y-,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/y-.
Source: y- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.