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Webster 1913 Edition


Ab-

Ab-

(ăb)
.
[Latin prep., etymologically the same as E.
of
,
off
. See
Of
.]
A prefix in many words of Latin origin. It signifies from, away , separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. See
A-
(6).

Definition 2024


ab-

ab-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ab"

English

Alternative forms

  • a- (found if the root word started with m, p, or v)
  • abs- (found if the root word started with c or t)

Prefix

ab-

  1. (non-productive) From
    absorb
  2. (non-productive) Away from; outside of.
    abnormal, abaxial.

Etymology 2

Abbreviation of absolute.

Prefix

ab-

  1. (physics) A unit of electromagnetic charge in the centimeter-gram-second system: the abcoulomb.

References

  1. Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 1
  • ab- at OneLook Dictionary Search

German

Etymology

From Old High German ab, from Proto-Germanic *ab.

Pronunciation

  • (Standard German) IPA(key): /ap/, [ʔäpʰ]
  • (Switzerland) IPA(key): /ab̥/

Prefix

ab-

  1. Separable verb prefix, from.
    ab- + fahren (to leave)abfahren (to depart from)
  2. Separable verb prefix that indicates removal or quitting, off.
    ab- + spülen (to rinse, wash)abspülen (to rinse off, wash off)
  3. Separable verb prefix that indicates a downward movement, down.
  4. Separable verb prefix that indicates from or of.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:German_words_prefixed_with_ab-'>German words prefixed with ab-</a>

See also


Latin

Etymology

From ab (from, of, away from)

Prefix

ab-

  1. from, away, away from
  2. off
  3. at a distance
  4. completely, thoroughly
  5. absence of
  6. more remote

Usage notes

  • Before b, m, sp and v, the prefix becomes ā-.
  • Before c and t, the prefix becomes abs-.
  • Before f, the prefix becomes au-.
  • Before p, the prefix becomes as- (but with some exceptions).

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Latin_words_prefixed_with_ab-'>Latin words prefixed with ab-</a>