Learn Turkish: Bu sözleşme bağlayıcıydı.

It comes from the verb bağlamak (to tie, connect, or bind). The root is bağla-. To this, we add the agentive suffix -(y)Icı, which forms an adjective or noun that performs the action. Because bağla- ends in a vowel, we use the buffer y, resulting in bağlayıcı (binding).

Why are there two y letters in bağlayıcıydı?

Both act as buffer letters to prevent two vowels from touching, but they belong to different grammatical steps. The first y attaches the -(y)Icı suffix to the vowel-ending verb root bağla-. The second y attaches the past tense 'to be' suffix -dı to the vowel-ending adjective bağlayıcı.

Can the suffix -(y)Icı create nouns as well as adjectives?

Yes! In this sentence, bağlayıcı acts as an adjective ("binding"). However, this suffix frequently creates agent nouns—words for a person or thing that routinely does the action. For instance, a physical bağlayıcı could be a "binder" or "fastener", just like satıcı (seller) comes from satmak (to sell).

What is the literal breakdown of the word sözleşme?