-ig

Inflection of *-ig*
	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	-ig	-igere	-igest²
indefinite neuter singular	-igt	-igere	-igest²
plural	-ige	-igere	-igest²
definite attributive¹	-ige	-igere	-igeste

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Derived terms

References

“-ig” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch -ich, from Old Dutch -ag, -ig, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-agaz, *-īgaz, *-ugaz, each a variant of a common suffix *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /əx/, /ɪx/
Audio: (file)

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from nouns
Synonyms: -achtig, -erig
-ed, having (when attached to a noun preceded by an adjective that describes the noun)
rood harig ― red-haired

dik huidig ― thick-skinned

twee benig ― two-legged

Declension

Declension of -ig
uninflected	-ig
inflected	-ige
comparative	-iger
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		-ig	-iger	het -igst het -igste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	-ige	-igere	-igste
	n. sing.	-ig	-iger	-igste
	plural	-ige	-igere	-igste
definite		-ige	-igere	-igste
partitive		-igs	-igers	—

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -ig

German

Etymology

From Middle High German -ec, -ic, from Old High German -ig, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪç/ (Germany; less common in southern regiolects)
IPA^(key): /ɪk/, /ɪɡ̊/, /iɡ̊/ (most common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
IPA^(key): /ɪɕ/, /ɪʃ/ (all central German dialects)
Audio: (file)
Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file)
Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file)

Suffix

-ig

-y, -eous; forms adjectives from nouns, describing the noteworthy presence of the noun
‎Sonne (“sun”) + ‎-ig → ‎sonnig (“sunny”)

‎Berg (“mountain”) + ‎-ig → ‎bergig (“mountainous”)
forms adjectives from numerals and nouns, describing something as having or involving a certain amount of the noun
‎ein(s) (“one”) + ‎Seite (“side, page”) + ‎-ig → ‎einseitig (“one-sided, single-page”)

‎zwei (“two”) + ‎Schneide (“edge”) + ‎-ig → ‎zweischneidig (“two-edged”)

‎mehr (“more”) + ‎Sprache (“language”) + ‎-ig → ‎mehrsprachig (“multilingual”)
-ed; forms adjectives from adjectives and nouns, describing something as having a noun of a certain quality; often triggers umlaut for single-syllable nouns
‎klein (“small”) + ‎Geist (“spirit, mind”) + ‎-ig → ‎kleingeistig (“small-minded”)

‎schwach (“weak”) + ‎Brust (“chest”) + ‎-ig → ‎schwachbrüstig (“feeble, lacking in power and stamina”)

‎dunkel (“dark”) + ‎Haut (“skin”) + ‎-ig → ‎dunkelhäutig (“dark-skinned”)
forms adjectives from verbs, describing a propensity or ongoing state of an action
‎zittern (“to shiver, to tremble”) + ‎-ig → ‎zittrig (“shaky, trembling”)

‎abhängen (“to depend”) + ‎-ig → ‎abhängig (“dependent, addicted”)
forms adjectives from adverbs, describing something as being defined by the adverb
‎heute (“today”) + ‎-ig → ‎heutig (“today's, of today”)

‎damals (“back then, at the time”) + ‎-ig → ‎damalig (“former, then”)

Declension

Positive forms of -ig

number & gender		singular			plural
number & gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
predicative		er ist -ig	sie ist -ig	es ist -ig	sie sind -ig
strong declension (without article)	nominative	-iger	-ige	-iges	-ige
	genitive	-igen	-iger	-igen	-iger
	dative	-igem	-iger	-igem	-igen
	accusative	-igen	-ige	-iges	-ige
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der -ige	die -ige	das -ige	die -igen
	genitive	des -igen	der -igen	des -igen	der -igen
	dative	dem -igen	der -igen	dem -igen	den -igen
	accusative	den -igen	die -ige	das -ige	die -igen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein -iger	eine -ige	ein -iges	(keine) -igen
	genitive	eines -igen	einer -igen	eines -igen	(keiner) -igen
	dative	einem -igen	einer -igen	einem -igen	(keinen) -igen
	accusative	einen -igen	eine -ige	ein -iges	(keine) -igen

Comparative forms of -ig

number & gender		singular			plural
number & gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
predicative		er ist -iger	sie ist -iger	es ist -iger	sie sind -iger
strong declension (without article)	nominative	-igerer	-igere	-igeres	-igere
	genitive	-igeren	-igerer	-igeren	-igerer
	dative	-igerem	-igerer	-igerem	-igeren
	accusative	-igeren	-igere	-igeres	-igere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der -igere	die -igere	das -igere	die -igeren
	genitive	des -igeren	der -igeren	des -igeren	der -igeren
	dative	dem -igeren	der -igeren	dem -igeren	den -igeren
	accusative	den -igeren	die -igere	das -igere	die -igeren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein -igerer	eine -igere	ein -igeres	(keine) -igeren
	genitive	eines -igeren	einer -igeren	eines -igeren	(keiner) -igeren
	dative	einem -igeren	einer -igeren	einem -igeren	(keinen) -igeren
	accusative	einen -igeren	eine -igere	ein -igeres	(keine) -igeren

Superlative forms of -ig

number & gender		singular			plural
number & gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
predicative		er ist am -igsten	sie ist am -igsten	es ist am -igsten	sie sind am -igsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	-igster	-igste	-igstes	-igste
	genitive	-igsten	-igster	-igsten	-igster
	dative	-igstem	-igster	-igstem	-igsten
	accusative	-igsten	-igste	-igstes	-igste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der -igste	die -igste	das -igste	die -igsten
	genitive	des -igsten	der -igsten	des -igsten	der -igsten
	dative	dem -igsten	der -igsten	dem -igsten	den -igsten
	accusative	den -igsten	die -igste	das -igste	die -igsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein -igster	eine -igste	ein -igstes	(keine) -igsten
	genitive	eines -igsten	einer -igsten	eines -igsten	(keiner) -igsten
	dative	einem -igsten	einer -igsten	einem -igsten	(keinen) -igsten
	accusative	einen -igsten	eine -igste	ein -igstes	(keine) -igsten

Note: There are also contracted forms like -'ger.

Suffix

-ig

(Switzerland, colloquial) variation of -ung

Derived terms

German terms suffixed with -ig

achtunddreißigminütig

achtundvierzigeckig

achtundvierzigminütig

achtundvierzigmonatig

achtundvierzigstündig

achtundvierzigwöchig

achtundzwanzigeckig

achtundzwanzigminütig

achtundzwanzigstündig

dreiunddreißigminütig

dreiundfünfzigminütig

dreiundvierzigminütig

dreiundzwanzigminütig

dreiundzwanzigstündig

Hungarian

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [iɡ]
Rhymes: -iɡ

Suffix

-ig (terminative case suffix)

(of place) to, up to
Az állomásig busszal mentünk, de onnan hazáig már gyalog. ― We traveled by bus to the station but from there to home we walked.
(of time) until, till
Ötig dolgozom. ― I work until five o'clock.
for a specified length of time
A levél olyan hosszú volt, hogy tíz percig olvastam. ― The letter was so long that I was reading it for 10 minutes.

Usage notes

Hungarian case suffixes
case	back vowel a, á, o, ó, u, ú	front vowel
case	back vowel a, á, o, ó, u, ú	unrounded e, é, i, í	rounded ö, ő, ü, ű
nominative	—
accusative	-t
accusative	-ot / -at	-et	-öt
dative	-nak	-nek
instrumental	-val	-vel
causal-final	-ért
translative	-vá	-vé
terminative	-ig
essive-formal	-ként¹
essive-modal	-ul	-ül
inessive	-ban	-ben
superessive	-n
superessive	-on	-en	-ön
adessive	-nál	-nél
illative	-ba	-be
sublative	-ra	-re
allative	-hoz	-hez	-höz
elative	-ból	-ből
delative	-ról	-ről
ablative	-tól	-től

¹ Stem-final -a/-e changes to -á-/-é-, respectively, except before -ként.
alma — almában, but almaként
zene ― zenében, but zeneként

It has no harmonic variants. It is used by both back-vowel and front-vowel words.
The above two senses may be ambiguous when hour or o'clock is mentioned, as in this sentence:
Két óráig maradunk. ― We'll stay for two hours OR We'll stay until 2 o'clock.

To avoid this ambiguity, the accusative case may be employed when referring to the duration (Két órát maradunk), and the sentence may be rephrased when referring to the end point (Két óra múlva indulunk – We're leaving in two hours.)

(until): With pointlike events or places the meaning is usually clear. However, it is ambiguous when the given event itself lasts for some time or the given object is such that it matters whether it is included, excluded or partially included.
Szerdáig van időd. ― You have time until Wednesday.
- With exclusion: on Wednesday 00:01 A.M. you are already late (rare, one would probably say keddig; until Tuesday)
- With partial inclusion: the border line is somewhere during the day (most likely)
- With full inclusion: you have the full Wednesday (also possible)

Middle English

Suffix

-ig

alternative form of -y

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Partially from Old Norse -igr (“-y”) and partially from Old Norse -ugr (“-y”), both from Proto-Germanic *-gaz (“-y”), from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ḱos (“-y”). Certain words also from Low German -ig (“-y”) or German -ig (“-y”), from Middle High German -ec, -ic, from Old High German -ig, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz (“-y”), from Proto-Indo-European *-kos (“-y”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪ/

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from nouns

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Partially from Old Norse -igr (“-y”) and partially from Old Norse -ugr (“-y”), both from Proto-Germanic *-gaz (“-y”), from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ḱos (“-y”). Certain words also from Low German -ig (“-y”) or German -ig (“-y”), from Middle High German -ec, -ic, from Old High German -ig, from Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz (“-y”), from Proto-Indo-European *-kos (“-y”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪ(ɡ)/

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from nouns

Derived terms

Ojibwe

Suffix

-ig

A suffix denoting the third person singular to first- or second-person singular form of a transitive animate verb (vta)

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-īgaz, *-agaz, *-ugaz.

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from nouns.

Derived terms

Old Dutch terms suffixed with -ig

Descendants

Middle Dutch: -ich, -ech
- Dutch: -ig

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *-ag, -ig. Still distinct in the earliest texts.

Alternative forms

-iċ, -eġ

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ij/
Rhymes: -ij

Suffix

-iġ

-y; forms adjectives from nouns and verbs

Usage notes

The variant form -eġ (or -eg) often occurs specifically when followed by suffixes containing back vowels. Ringe and Taylor (2014) suggest that prehistoric *-ag failed to fully raise to -iġ in this environment, with the variant reflecting a preserved transitional form^[1].

Declension

Declension of -iġ — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-iġ	-iġu, -iġo	-iġ
Accusative	-iġne	-iġe	-iġ
Genitive	-iġes	-iġre	-iġes
Dative	-iġum	-iġre	-iġum
Instrumental	-iġe	-iġre	-iġe
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-iġe	-iġa, -iġe	-iġu, -iġo
Accusative	-iġe	-iġa, -iġe	-iġu, -iġo
Genitive	-iġra	-iġra	-iġra
Dative	-iġum	-iġum	-iġum
Instrumental	-iġum	-iġum	-iġum

Declension of -iġ — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-iġa	-iġe	-iġe
Accusative	-iġan	-iġan	-iġe
Genitive	-iġan	-iġan	-iġan
Dative	-iġan	-iġan	-iġan
Instrumental	-iġan	-iġan	-iġan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	-iġan	-iġan	-iġan
Accusative	-iġan	-iġan	-iġan
Genitive	-iġra, -iġena	-iġra, -iġena	-iġra, -iġena
Dative	-iġum	-iġum	-iġum
Instrumental	-iġum	-iġum	-iġum

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -ig

Descendants

Middle English: -iȝ, -i, -y, -ich
- English: -y, -ey, -ie
- Scots: -ie

References

^ Ringe, Donald; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English (A Linguistic History of English; 2), Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 335

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī, from Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- (diminutive suffix).

Alternative forms

-g, -ih

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /iɡ/, [iɣ], /ij/
Rhymes: -ij

Suffix

-ig or -iġ

Suffix creating diminutive nouns from other nouns.
bōsiġ

Declension

Masculine

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	-iġ	-ġas
accusative	-iġ	-ġas
genitive	-ġes	-ġa
dative	-ġe	-ġum

Descendants

Middle English: -y
- Scots: -ie
  - English: -ie, -y

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *-g, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos.

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from i-stem nouns and verbs

Related terms

-ag

Scottish Gaelic

Suffix

-ig

slender form of -aig

Swedish

Etymology

From earlier -ig, -og, from Middle Low German -ich and Old Swedish -ogher, from Old Norse -agr, -ugr, -igr, from Proto-Germanic *-gaz, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos. Cognate with Old English -ig, whence English -y.

Compare -og, avog, avig and -ot.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪ(ɡ)/

Suffix

-ig

-y; forms adjectives from nouns and verbs
‎is (“ice”) + ‎-ig → ‎isig (“icy”)

‎kunna (“be able to, know”) + ‎-ig → ‎kunnig (“knowledgeable”)
-ed (when attached to a compound of an adjective and a noun or verb it describes)
Han är rödhårig
He is red-haired

Usage notes

Often pronounced without the final 'g' (/ɪ/).
In (sense 2), "Han är rödhårad" reads like "He is red-hair'ed," as if someone has done "red hair" to him. The same reading is possible in English, but natural in Swedish.

Declension

Inflection of **-ig**
Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative¹
common singular	-ig	-igare	-igast
neuter singular	-igt	-igare	-igast
plural	-iga	-igare	-igast
masculine plural²	-ige	-igare	-igast

Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular³	-ige	-igare	-igaste
all	-iga	-igare	-igaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

Swedish terms suffixed with -ig

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *-ikos. Cognate with Cornish -ik, Breton -ig, Proto-Germanic *-igaz, Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós), Latin -icus.^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪɡ/

Suffix

-ig

forms adjectives from nouns, -y
‎gwenwyn (“poison”) + ‎-ig → ‎gwenwynig (“poisonous”)

‎pwys (“weight, pound”) + ‎-ig → ‎pwysig (“important”)

‎Gwyddel (“Irish man”) + ‎-ig → ‎Gwyddelig (“Irish”)
(chemistry) -ic, Used in chemical nomenclature to name chemical compounds in which a specified chemical element has a higher oxidation number than in the equivalent compound whose name ends in the suffix -us. For example asid nitrig (“nitric acid, H NO₃”) has more oxygen atoms per molecule than asid nitrus (“nitrous acid, H NO₂”).
person or object with characteristics of the root word
‎lloer (“moon”) + ‎-ig → ‎lloerig (“lunatic”)

‎ysgol (“school”) + ‎-ha + ‎-ig → ‎ysgolhaig (“scholar”)

‎calan (“first day of the year”) + ‎-ig → ‎calennig (“New Year's gift”)

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -ig

Related terms

-edig (“forms adjectives from verbs”)

Suffix

-ig m or f (plural -igau or -igion or -igiaid, not mutable)

diminutive suffix, -let
‎afon (“river”) + ‎-ig → ‎afonig (“rivulet”)

‎barwn (“baron”) + ‎-ig → ‎barwnig (“baronet”)

‎oen (“lamb”) + ‎-ig → ‎oenig (“small ewe lamb”)

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -ig (diminutive)

References

^ Morris Jones, John (1913), A Welsh Grammar, Historical and Comparative, Oxford: Clarendon Press, § 153 i 9

case	suffix	who?	what?	this	that	he/she (it)¹	verbal prefix	category
nominative	–	ki	mi	ez	az	ő* / ∅ az / ∅	–	–
accusative	-t / -ot / -at / -et / -öt	kit	mit	ezt	azt	őt* / ∅ azt / ∅	–	c₁ c₂
dative	-nak / -nek	kinek	minek	ennek	annak	neki	neki-	category
instrumental	-val / -vel	kivel	mivel	ezzel/ evvel	azzal/ avval	vele		category
causal-final	-ért	kiért	miért	ezért	azért	érte	–	category
translative	-vá / -vé	kivé	mivé	ezzé	azzá	–	–	category
terminative	-ig	–	meddig	eddig	addig	–	–	category
essive-formal	-ként	(kiként)	(miként)	ekként	akként	–	–	category
essive-modal	-ul / -ül	–	–	–	–	–	–	category
inessive	-ban / -ben	kiben	miben	ebben	abban	benne	–	category
superessive	-n/-on/-en/-ön	kin	min	ezen	azon	rajta	(rajta-)	category
adessive	-nál / -nél	kinél	minél	ennél	annál	nála	–	category
illative	-ba / -be	kibe	mibe	ebbe	abba	bele	bele-	category
sublative	-ra / -re	kire	mire	erre	arra	rá	rá-	category
allative	-hoz/-hez/-höz	kihez	mihez	ehhez	ahhoz	hozzá	hozzá-	category
elative	-ból / -ből	kiből	miből	ebből	abból	belőle	–	category
delative	-ról / -ről	kiről	miről	erről	arról	róla	–	category
ablative	-tól / -től	kitől	mitől	ettől	attól	tőle	–	category