Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-ie

/-iː/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.80 in modern English

Syllables: -ie
IPA: /-iː/

2

Scrabble Score

2

Letters

2

Syllables

2

Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

Forming diminutive or affectionate forms of nouns or names.

suffix

Forming feminine or gender‐neutral forms of given names.

suffix

Forms colloquial clippings (often functioning as familiarizers), truncating the root to a single stressed syllable.

Australian usage; New Zealand usage; British usage

suffix

Forming colloquial nouns signifying the person or thing associated with the suffixed noun or verb.

suffix

Forming nouns relative to an adjective.

suffix

Forming colloquial interjections or phrases.

suffix

Alternative spelling of -y (adjectival suffix).

Archaic

suffix

A photograph, especially a selfie.

Example Sentences

"“Polly, I wish you ’d let me call you Marie,” said Fanny one day, as they were shopping together. ¶ “You may call me Mary, if you like; but I won’t have any ie put on to my name. I’m Polly at home and I’m fond of being called so; but Marie is Frenchified and silly.” ¶ “I spell my own name with an ie, and so do all the girls.” ¶ “And what a jumble of Netties, Nellies, Hatties, and Sallies there is. How ‘Pollie’ would look spelt so!”"
"dear → dearie"
"sweet → sweetie"
"smile → smilie (also smiley)"
"Catherine → Cathie (also Cathi, Cathy); Katherine → Kathie (also Kathi, Kathy)"
"Bill → Billie (also Billi, Billy)"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English -ie Variant spelling of -y, with the spelling possibly influenced by the cognate Scots -ie.

Word Breakdown

Root: -ie

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /-iː/
British English: /-iː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

-ee (alternative) -ey (alternative)

Synonyms

-cule -ee -el -et -ette -icle -kin -le -let -ling -ole -ule

Rhymes With

d t b c e a&e p couple three v g 0-g r. o. c.

Questions

How do you pronounce -ie?: The recorded pronunciation is /-iː/.
What does -ie mean?: Forming diminutive or affectionate forms of nouns or names.
Where does -ie come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English -ie Variant spelling of -y, with the spelling possibly influenced by the cognate Scots -ie.

How to pronounce -ie

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “-ie”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/-iː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “-ie”.
Repeat and practice — Say “-ie” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.