-ई

Etymology

From several sources merging into one suffix.

• Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit -𑀇𑀅 (-ia), from Sanskrit -इक (-ika, “diminutive suffix”).
• Borrowed from the nominative singular form of Sanskrit -इन् (-in, “feminine suffix”).
• From Persian ـی‎ (-i), from Middle Persian -yk' / 𐭩𐭪𐭩‎ (-īg) or Arabic ـِيّ‎ (-iyy).
• Directly from Arabic ـِيّ‎ (-iyy, “nisba suffix”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iː/

Suffix

-ई • (-ī) f

1. forms qualitative adjectives from nouns

   क़ीमत (qīmat, “value, worth”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎क़ीमती (qīmtī, “expensive, valuable”)

2. forms adverbs from adjectives

   ज़बरदस्त (zabardast, “strong, heavy”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎ज़बरदस्ती (zabardastī, “forcibly”)

3. forms qualitative nouns from adjectives

   अक़्लमंद (aqlamand, “smart”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎अक़्लमंदी (aqlamandī, “intelligence”)

4. one who does

   शास्त्र (śāstra, “science”) + ‎-ई (-ī) → ‎शास्त्री (śāstrī, “scientist”)

5. (chemistry) -ine