Y

the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet, derives its form from the Greek Υ, whence it is called, in French and Spanish, the “Greek I.” At the beginning of words or syllables, except when used as a prefix, it is a consonant element. In the middle and at the end of words, it is a vowel, having precisely the same sound as i. It is sounded as i long when accented, as in defy, rely; and as i short when unaccented, as in vanity, glory, synonymous. See Principles of Pronunciation, §§ 35, 36, 54, 55, 105. In a great number of words derived from the Anglo-Saxon, g has been changed into y, as in gear, changed into year, dag into day, geornian into yearn, gyllan into yell, gealew into yellow, and the like.

☞ Y has been called the Pythagorean letter, because its Greek original represents 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. Y is used by ancient writers, especially Spenser, as a prefix of the past participle, used or omitted at will, and is also sometimes employed by modern writers in burlesque, or in imitation of the antique. It is more rarely prefixed to the preterit. The following are instances: y-bet, beaten; y-bent, bent, addicted, inclined; y-blent, blinded, or dazzled; y-bore, born; y-bredd, bred, or created; y-clad, clad, clothed; y-clepe, to call; y-cleped, called; y-clothed, clothed; y-drad, dreaded; y-dread, to dread; y-dreeid, afraid; y-glance, to glance; y-feed, to feed; y-fed, fed, refreshed; y-fretted, adorned with fret-work; y-go, to go; y-melt, to melt; y-spend, to spend; y-place, to put, place, bring; y-plight, to plight; y-rend, to rend; y-rive, to rive, or split; y-slake, to slake, quench; y-take, to take; y-thrill, to thrill; y-pay, to pay; y-shend, to disparage; y-shrill, to utter in a shrill tone; y-toss, to toss; y-wander, to wander; and many others.