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

• (off): aus-
• (down): hinab-, herab-, runter-, herunter-, hinunter-

Antonyms

• (on): an-
• (up): auf-, rauf-, hinauf-, herauf-

Derived terms

See also

• ab

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