-cy
English
Etymology
From Anglo-NormanCategory:English terms derived from Anglo-Norman#CY -cie, ultimately from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#CY -cia, -tia, Ancient GreekCategory:English terms derived from Ancient Greek#CY -κια (-kia), -τια (-tia), originally variants of LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#CY -ia and Ancient GreekCategory:English terms derived from Ancient Greek#CY -ια (-ia), -ία (-ía) or -εια (-eia). Original loan words like pharmacy and papacy could have formed the model.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-cy (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -cies)Category:English lemmas#CYCategory:English suffixes#CYCategory:English noun-forming suffixes#CYCategory:English uncountable nouns#CYCategory:English countable nouns#CYCategory:English countable nouns#CYCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#CYCategory:Pages with entries#CYCategory:Pages with 1 entry#CY
- (non-productive) Used to form nouns of state, condition or quality.
- (non-productive) Used to form nouns of rank or office.
- president + -cy → presidency
- abbot + -cy → abbacy
- magistrate + -cy → magistracy
Usage notes
In sense of a state, a condition, often replaces a terminal -t, as in pregnancy (from pregnant). Exceptions include normalcy (no terminal -t in normal) and bankruptcy (terminal -t in bankrupt retained).