y-

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Y \Y\ (w[imac]), n.; pl. Y's (w[imac]z) or Ys. Something shaped like the letter Y; a forked piece resembling in form the letter Y. Specifically: (a) One of the forked holders for supporting the telescope of a leveling instrument, or the axis of a theodolite; a wye. (b) A forked or bifurcated pipe fitting. (c) (Railroads) A portion of track consisting of two diverging tracks connected by a cross track. [1913 Webster]

Y level (Surv.), an instrument for measuring differences of level by means of a telescope resting in Y's.

Y moth (Zool.), a handsome European noctuid moth Plusia gamma) which has a bright, silvery mark, shaped like the letter Y, on each of the fore wings. Its larva, which is green with five dorsal white species, feeds on the cabbage, turnip, bean, etc. Called also gamma moth, and silver Y. [1913 Webster]

Y \Y\ (w[imac]). Y, the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet, at the beginning of a word or syllable, except when a prefix (see Y-), is usually a fricative vocal consonant; as a prefix, and usually in the middle or at the end of a syllable, it is a vowel. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 145, 178-9, 272. [1913 Webster]

Note: It derives its form from the Latin Y, which is from the Greek [Upsilon], originally the same letter as V. Etymologically, it is most nearly related to u, i, o, and j. g; as in full, fill, AS. fyllan; E. crypt, grotto; young, juvenile; day, AS. d[ae]g. See U, I, and J, G. [1913 Webster]

Note: Y has been called the Pythagorean letter, because the Greek letter [Upsilon] was taken to represent the sacred triad, formed by the duad proceeding from the monad; and also because it represents the dividing of the paths of vice and virtue in the development of human life. [1913 Webster]

Y \Y\ ([imac]), pron. I. [Obs.] --King Horn. --Wyclif. [1913 Webster] Y

Y- \Y-\, or I- \I-\ . [OE. y-, i-, AS. ge-, akin to D. & G. ge-, OHG. gi-, ga-, Goth. ga-, and perhaps to Latin con-; originally meaning, together. Cf. Com-, Aware, Enough, Handiwork, Ywis.] A prefix of obscure meaning, originally used with verbs, adverbs, adjectives, nouns, and pronouns. In the Middle English period, it was little employed except with verbs, being chiefly used with past participles, though occasionally with the infinitive. Ycleped, or yclept, is perhaps the only word not entirely obsolete which shows this use. [1913 Webster]

That no wight mighte it see neither yheere. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Neither to ben yburied nor ybrent. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Note: Some examples of Chaucer's use of this prefix are; ibe, ibeen, icaught, ycome, ydo, idoon, ygo, iproved, ywrought. It inough, enough, it is combined with an adjective. Other examples are in the Vocabulary. [1913 Webster] Spenser and later writers frequently employed this prefix when affecting an archaic style, and sometimes used it incorrectly. [1913 Webster]