-ity

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əti/, /ɪti/; but see the usage notes below
• (General American) IPA^(key): /əti/, [əɾi], [ɾi], /ɪti/, [ɪɾi]

  • Audio (US)

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /əti/, [əɾi]

From Middle English -ite, 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.

• -ty
• ⠰⠽

-ity

1. 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.

   ‎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”)

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

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

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

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

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

   ‎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. Used to form other nouns, especially abstract nouns.

• Many nouns formed with -ity are uncountable; those that are countable form their plurals in -ities.
• Final -e is dropped before adding this suffix.
• Pronunciation:
  • The addition of -ity to an adjective results in a shift of stress to the antepenultimate syllable; that is, words in -ity are stressed on the last syllable before the -ity, even in cases where this syllable is part of another suffix (as in words in -ability and -icity). Further, this shift typically results in a change in vowel quality; compare, for example, real and reality, where the sound [æ] in the second word is not present in the first. These vowel quality changes are usually consistent with the spelling of both forms — note that the letter <a> in the second word is present in the first — but sometimes spelling changes are seen, as with the suffix -ous, which when it combines with -ity produces the suffix -osity.
  • While a final -c is pronounced [k], before -ity it becomes [s]; compare, for example, elastic and elasticity.

• -ability, -ibility

• -ness, -hood, -ship, -itas, -itude, -th, -ia, -itia, -ability, -ibility, -icity, -osity, -ous, -ose

See -ety.

-ity

1. Alternative form of -ety

   ‎hip + ‎-ity → ‎hippity, hippity-hop

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): /ˈi.tɨ/
• Rhymes: -itɨ
• Syllabification: i‧ty

-ity m

1. forms masculine adjectives

   ‎pracować + ‎-ity → ‎pracowity

• -ity in Polish dictionaries at PWN