ancy
Ancy is a suffix in English used to form abstract nouns that denote a state, condition, or quality. It is historically derived from Old French -ance, which in turn comes from Latin, and it is related to the suffix -ence. In modern usage, the choice between -ancy and -ence is largely lexical rather than strictly rule-based, with many words following established conventions rather than general guidelines.
The suffix -ancy attaches to stems to indicate a particular state or quality. Common examples include vacancy
In contrast, the -ence variant forms nouns with similar meanings in many other words, such as frequency
Usage notes: words ending in -ancy are common in formal and academic writing, often describing states, conditions,