de-

Forms

dē- (usually shortened before vowels and h)^[2][1]

Etymology

It is the preposition dē used as a prefix.^[2][1] Like the preposition, it is inherited from Proto-Italic *dē (“from”), from Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ (“towards”).^[1]

Semantic evolution

Combined with verbs it adds motion down from or away, removal, the reversal of a process, or thoroughness and completeness; with nouns it is privative (as in dēfōrmis), and with a few adjectives intensive.^[2][1]

English uses it in many verbs from French and Latin, and its Latin use for reversing an action made it a living privative prefix in English (“undo, do the opposite of”).^[3]

Meanings

Prefix

1. Down from, away, off.^[2][1]
2. Denoting removal.^[2]
3. Denoting the reversal of a process.^[2]
4. (intensive) Thoroughly, completely.^[2][3]
5. (privative) With nouns: without.^[2]

Word family

• dēfluō
• dēlābor
• dēcrēscō
• dēdiscō
• dēbellō
• dēpōnō
• dēspoliō
• dēsipiō
• dēmēns

Related words

• English de-

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com