-ity

Meaning

1. Used to form a countable noun from an adjective, referring to someone or something that conforms to the adjective's description.
2. Alternative form of -ety.
3. Used to form other nouns, especially abstract nouns.
4. 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.

Etymology / origin

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.

Sources

No citations have been attached yet.