Wiktionary

a-

See also: A-, A−, -a, -a-, á-, ā-, а-, and Appendix:Variations of "a"

TranslingualEdit

EtymologyEdit

From the Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not, without”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Used to form taxonomic names indicating a lack of some feature that might be expected

Derived termsEdit

Translingual terms prefixed with a-

EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English a- (“up, out, away”), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”), from Proto-Indo-European *uds- (“up, out”). Cognate with Old Saxon ā-, German er-.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (no longer productive) Forming verbs with the sense away, up, on, out.
    arise, await
  2. (no longer productive) Forming verbs with the sense of intensified action.
    abide, amaze

Etymology 2Edit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (rare or no longer productive) In, on, at; used to show a state, condition, or manner. Also passing into sense 2. [First attested prior to 1150][1]
    apace, afire, aboil, a-bling
  2. (no longer productive) In, into. Also passing into sense 5. [First attested prior to 1150][1]
    asunder
  3. In the direction of, or toward. [First attested prior to 1150][1]
    astern, abeam
  4. (archaic, dialectal) At such a time. [First attested prior to 1150][1]
    Come a-morning we are going hunting.
  5. (archaic, dialectal) In the act or process of. Used in some dialects before a present participle. [First attested prior to 1150][1]
    • 1777, Thomas Arne, A-Hunting We Will Go
    • 1780, The Twelve Days of Christmas:
      The twelfth day of Christmas,
      My true love sent to me
      Twelve lords a-leaping,
      …
      Eight maids a-milking,
      Seven swans a-swimming,
      Six geese a-laying,
    • circa 1850, Here We Come A-wassailing/Here We Come A-caroling
      Here we come a-wassailing
      Among the leaves so green;
      Here we come a-wand’ring
      So fair to be seen.
    • 1939, Alfred Edward Housman, Additional Poems, XIII, lines 6-7:
      Oh waste no words a-wooing
      The soft sleep to your bed;
    • 1964, Bob Dylan, "The Times They Are a-Changin' " (recorded 1963, released 1964):
      The order is rapidly fadin'
      And the first one now will later be last
      For the times they are a-changin'
    • circa 1970, bumper sticker:[2]
      If the van’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’.

Etymology 3Edit

From Middle English a-, a variant form of y-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with”).

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Alternative form of y- (archaic and dialectal) In dialect, it is sometimes conflated with sense 5 of the previous definition, and is used as a general indicator of a participle. [First attested around 1150 to 1350 (Middle English).][1]
    aware, alike
  2. (Devon) Used to form the past participle of a verb.
    I have a-gone.
    I have a-seen a bird.

Etymology 4Edit

From Anglo-Norman a-, from Old French e-, from Latin ex-.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (no longer productive) Forming words with the sense of wholly, or utterly out. [First attested from around 1150 to 1350.][1]
    abash

Etymology 5Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately followed by a vowel).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  2. Not, without, opposite of.
    amoral, asymmetry, atheism, asexual, acyclic, atypical
    • 1948 (revised 1952), Robert Graves, The White Goddess, Faber & Faber 1999, page 7:
      When invited to believe in the Chimaera, the horse-centaurs, or the winged horse Pegasus, all of them straightforward Pelasgian cult-symbols, a philosopher felt bound to reject them as a-zoölogical improbabilities [...].
    • 2012, Faramerz Dabhoiwala, The Origins of Sex, Penguin 2013, page 191:
      If aroused outside the proper outlet of marriage, [female lust] could range out of control, turning its possessor into an a-feminine monster: that is what happened to fallen women.
Usage notesEdit
  • This prefix is referred to as alpha privative.
  • Used with stems that begin with consonants except sometimes h. an- is synonymous and is used in front of words that start with vowels and sometimes h.[3] For example, anesthetic and analgesic.
SynonymsEdit
TranslationsEdit

Etymology 6Edit

From Middle English a-, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad (“towards”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (no longer productive) Towards; Used to indicate direction, reduction to, increase to, change into, or motion. [First attested from around 1150 to 1350.][1]
    ascend, aspire, amass, abandon, avenue
Usage notesEdit
  • Used on stems that started with sc, sp, or st, and also used on stems with a French origin.
  • Used in place of ad-.[4]

Etymology 7Edit

From Latin ab (“of, off, from, away”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (no longer productive) Away from. [First attested from around 1150 to 1350.][1]
    avert, aperient, abridge, assoil,[3] assoilzie
Usage notesEdit
  • Variation of the prefix ab-, only used when the stem starts with the letter p or v, [3] or (rarely) s in which case the s is doubled (as in assoil and assoilzie).

Etymology 8Edit

From Middle English a-, o- (“of”). See a (preposition, of).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (no longer productive) Of, from. [First attested prior to 1150.][1]
    anew, afresh, athirst[3]
Usage notesEdit

Different Germanic senses of a- became confused – vaguely “intensive” – and are no longer productive. The Greek sense of “not” (e.g., amoral, asymmetry) remains productive.

“[I]t naturally happened that all these a- prefixes were at length confusedly lumped together in idea, and the resultant a- looked upon as vaguely intensive, rhetorical, euphonic [nice-sounding], or even archaic, and wholly otiose [pointless].” OED.
Derived termsEdit
English terms prefixed with a-

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Brown, Lesley (2003)
  2. ^ See “Don’t Come A-Knockin’”, TV Tropes for more examples and discussion.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Urdang, Laurence (1984)
  4. ^ Lindberg, Christine A. (2007)

Etymology 9Edit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Alternative form of -a (“empty syllable added to songs, poetry, verse and other speech”)

Etymology 10Edit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (Chester) Used as a prefix to verbs in the sense of remaining in the same condition.[1] Actively doing something.
    a-be, a-going
    Let that choilt a-be, wilt ta. ― Let that child alone, will you.[1]

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Robert Holland, M.R.A.C., A Glossary of Words Used in the County of Chester, Part I--A to F., English Dialect Society, London, 1884, 1

Etymology 11Edit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (nonstandard) A syllable added by a speaker supposed to be Italian, or used to mimic or mock Italian accents; a pseudo-Italian syllable.
    It's a-me, Mario.

A-PucikwarEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. prefix attached to words relating to the mouth, such as the names of languages

CatalanEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not, without)
    ‎a- + ‎moral (“moral”) → ‎amoral (“amoral”)
Derived termsEdit
Catalan terms prefixed with a-

Etymology 2Edit

From Latin ad (“towards”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Used to make verbs from adjectives and nouns
    ‎a- + ‎feble (“weak”) → ‎afeblir (“to weaken”)
    ‎a- + ‎sabor (“taste”) → ‎assaborir (“to taste”)
Derived termsEdit
Catalan terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

ChoctawEdit

PrefixEdit

a̱- (after another prefix -sa̱-, before vowels am-, class III first-person singular)

  1. the indirect object of an active transitive verb
    to me, for me
  2. the subject of an intransitive affective verb
    I
  3. the direct object of a small set of transitive verbs mostly dealing with affect, communication and intimacy
    me
  4. indicates possession of a noun
    my

InflectionEdit

Choctaw Person Markers
class I class II class III class N imperative
+s +C +V +C/i +a/o +C +V +C +V +C +V
first-person singular initial -li sa- si- a- am- ak- n/a
medial -sa- -sam-
paucal ī- il- pi- pi- pim- kī- kil-
plural hapi- hapi- hapim-
second-person singular is- ish- chi- chi- chim- chik- ∅
plural has- hash- hachi- hachi- hachim- hachik- ho- oh-
third-person ∅ ∅ i- im- ik-

DanishEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a-, un- (not)
  2. A- (atomic, nuclear)
    Synonyms: atom-, A-

Derived termsEdit

Danish terms prefixed with a-

DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /aː/
  • Audio(file)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a-: Not, without, opposite of.

Derived termsEdit

Dutch terms prefixed with a-

See alsoEdit

EsperantoEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. without, -less

Derived termsEdit

Esperanto terms prefixed with a-

Related termsEdit

FinnishEdit

EtymologyEdit

Internationalism (see English a-), ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (in loanwords) a-, non-, un-
    Synonym: epä-

FrenchEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old French a-, from Latin ad-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. A prefix forming words, especially verbs, that denote entering a state, making progress toward a goal, or the like.

Etymology 2Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel; generalized from the many Latin borrowings using this prefix.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a-, non-, -less

Derived termsEdit

French terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

GermanEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not, without, opposite of)

Derived termsEdit

German terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

  • “a-” in Duden online
  • “a-” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

IndonesianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Sanskrit अ- (a-, “un-, not”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *a-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not, without, opposite of)

Derived termsEdit

Indonesian terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

IrishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

  • ai- (before a palatalized consonant, both etymologies)

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately followed by a vowel).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not, without, opposite of)
Derived termsEdit
Irish terms prefixed with a-

Etymology 2Edit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Alternative form of ath- used before t

ItalianEdit

 
Italian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia it

Etymology 1Edit

From Latin ad-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. ad- (indicating direction)
Usage notesEdit

Etymology 2Edit

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (indicating lack or loss)
Alternative formsEdit
  • an- (before a vowel)

Derived termsEdit

Italian terms prefixed with a-

LatinEdit

Etymology 1Edit

PrefixEdit

ā-

  1. Alternative form of ab-
Usage notesEdit

Used before bilabial voiced consonants: b-, m- and v-.

Etymology 2Edit

From ad (“towards”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (Before a word beginning with sc, sp or st) Alternative form of ad-
    ‎a- + ‎scandere (“climb”) → ‎ascendere (“climb up, go up; rise, spring up”)
    ‎a- + ‎scrībere (“write”) → ‎ascrībere (“state in writing, add in writing; insert; appoint, enroll, enfranchise, reckon, number”)
    ‎a- + ‎spīrāre (“breathe”) → ‎aspīrāre (“breathe or blow upon; am favorable to, assist, favor, aid; aspire or desire (to); approach, come near (to)”)
    ‎a- + ‎specere (“observe, look at”) → ‎aspicere (“look at or towards, behold; regard, respect; observe, notice; examine, inspect; consider, ponder”)
    ‎a- + ‎stringere (“press, tighten, compress”) → ‎astringere (“draw close, bind or tie together; tighten, contract; check, restrain; oblige, necessitate”)
    ‎a- + ‎struere (“compose, construct, build; ready, prepare; place, arrange”) → ‎astruere (“build near or to a thing, erect; build on, heap; build an additional structure”)

LatvianEdit

EtymologyEdit

Via other European languages, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel).

PronunciationEdit

(file)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Not, not having, without, opposite of.
    ‎a- + ‎seksuāls → ‎aseksuāls

MaquiritariEdit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. allomorph of öt- (detransitivizing prefix).
  2. Allomorph of ö- (second-person prefix) used for stems that begin with a consonant and have a first vowel a or e.

InflectionEdit

Maquiritari personal markers (Ye’kwana dialect)
pronoun noun possessor/
series II verb argument 		postposition object series I verb argument
transitive patient intransitive patient-like intransitive agent-like transitive agent
first person ewü y-, ∅-, ü-, u- w-, wi-
first person dual inclusive küwü k-, kü-, ku-, ki- k-, kii-, ki-
second person amödö ö-, öy-, o-, oy-, a-, ay- m-, mi-
first person dual exclusive nña y-, ch-, ∅-, i- chö- ∅- n-, ni-
third person tüwü n-, ni-
distant past third person — kün-, kun-, kin-, ken-, küm-, kum-, kim-, kini-
coreferential/reflexive — t-, tü-, tu-, ti-, te- —
reciprocal — — öö-
series I verb argument:
transitive agent and transitive patient
first person > second person mön-, man-, mon-, möm-, möni-
first person dual exclusive > second person
second person > first person k-, kü-, ku-, ki-
second person > first person dual exclusive
third person > any person X …or… any person X > third person see person X in the chart above

MohawkEdit

Alternative formsEdit

  • aon- (before s- (“iterative”) and t- (“cislocative”))

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. irrealis prefix

ReferencesEdit

  • Nora Deering; Helga H. Delisle (1976) Mohawk: A teaching grammar (preliminary version), Quebec: Manitou College, page 332

Murui HuitotoEdit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. (unproductive) Used to form a few adverbs signifying a location or motion from or to above.

Derived termsEdit

Murui Huitoto terms prefixed with a-

Related termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

  • Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017) A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎[1], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 145

NavajoEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. someone's, people's

Usage notesEdit

This prefix is often used as a neutral possessive pronoun to make the citation forms of inalienable nouns: amá (“someone's mother”), akʼos (“someone's neck”), ajáád (“someone's leg”), ajááʼ (“someone's ear”), akʼéí (“someone's kin”). The alternative is to use the prefix ha- (“one's”) or bi- (“his/her/its/their”) to make these dictionary forms.

See alsoEdit

Navajo possessive pronouns
singular dual plural
1st person shi- nihi- danihi-
2nd person ni- nihi- danihi-
3rd person bi-
4th person (3o) yi-
4th person (3a) ha-, hw-
Indefinite person (3i) a-

Northern NdebeleEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial wa-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gáá-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. of; class 6 possessive concord.

Etymology 3Edit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Class 6 relative concord.

Norwegian BokmålEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From the first letter of the Norwegian alphabet a, from Latin a, from Ancient Greek Α (A, “alpha”), likely through the Etruscan language, from Phoenician 𐤀‎ (ʾ), from Proto-Canaanite  , from Proto-Sinaitic  , from Egyptian 𓃾.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  2. indicating the first or best in something
    Synonyms: a, A-
    ‎a- + ‎lag → ‎a-lag

Etymology 2Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not, without”), from Proto-Hellenic *ə- (“un-, not; without, lacking”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“not, un-”). Doublet of u-.

Compare an- (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel).

PrefixEdit

a-

  2. a- (not, without, opposite of)
    Synonyms: a, an-
    ‎a- + ‎politisk (“political”) → ‎apolitisk (“apolitical”)
    ‎a- + ‎sosial (“social”) → ‎asosial (“asocial”)
    ‎a- + ‎symmetrisk (“symmetrical”) → ‎asymmetrisk (“asymmetrical”)
    ‎a- + ‎gnostiker (“gnostic”) → ‎agnostiker (“agnostic”)
Alternative formsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Norwegian Bokmål terms prefixed with a-

Etymology 3Edit

Clipping of atom-, from the noun atom (“atom”), from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible, uncut, undivided”), whereas atombombe is a calque of English atomic bomb.

PrefixEdit

a-

  2. Short for atom-.
    ‎a- + ‎bombe → ‎a-bombe

ReferencesEdit

  • “a-” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
  • “a-” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
  • “a-” in Store norske leksikon

AnagramsEdit

Norwegian NynorskEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not, without”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not, without)

Derived termsEdit

Norwegian Nynorsk terms prefixed with a-

ReferencesEdit

Old EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From an earlier form ar-, from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz-. Cognate with Old High German ar-, ir- (German er-).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

ā-

  1. from, away, off, out
    āniman ― to take away, to remove

Derived termsEdit

Old English terms prefixed with a-

DescendantsEdit

  • Middle English: a-
    • English: a-

Old FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin ad, which was often reduced to a- in compounds.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. indicating movement towards something
  2. (by extension) indicating a change of state
  3. intensifying prefix
  4. alternative form of es-

Derived termsEdit

Old French terms prefixed with a-

Old IrishEdit

PrefixEdit

a- (class A infixed pronoun)

  1. him (triggers eclipsis)
  2. it (triggers lenition)

Usage notesEdit

This form merges with the prefixes ro-, no-, di-, to-, fo-, ar-, and imm- to form ra-, na-, da-, da-, fa-, ara-, imma- respectively. It disappears after the particle ní (“not”), its only trace being the mutation it causes (eclipsis in the case of the masculine, lenition in the case of the neuter), thus ní cara (does not love) vs. ní chara (does not love it), ní ben (does not strike) vs. ní mben (does not strike him).

Derived termsEdit

Old Irish terms prefixed with a-

See alsoEdit

Old Irish affixed pronouns

See Appendix:Old Irish affixed pronouns for details on how these forms are used.
Note that the so-called “infixed” pronouns are technically prefixes, but they are never the first prefix in a verbal complex.

Person Infixed Suffixed
Class A Class B Class C
1 sing. m-L dom-L, dam-L -um
2 sing. t-L dot-L, dat-L, dut-L, dit-L -ut
3 sing. m. a-N, e-N d-N id-N, did-N, d-N -i, -it
3 sing. f. s-(N) da- -us
3 sing. n. a-L, e-L d-L id-L, did-L, d-L -i, -it
1 pl. n- don-, dun-, dan- -unn
2 pl. b- dob-, dub-, dab- -uib
3 pl. s-(N) da- -us
L means this form triggers lenition.
N means this form triggers nasalization (eclipsis)
(N) means this form triggers nasalization in some texts but not in others.

Old JavaneseEdit

EtymologyEdit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. active verb

SynonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

Old Javanese terms prefixed with a-

Old SaxonEdit

EtymologyEdit

From an earlier form ar-, from Proto-Germanic *uz-. Cognate with Old English a-, Old High German ar-, ir- (German er-).

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

ā-

  1. forming words with the sense from, away, out, off, e.g. āniman

Derived termsEdit

Old Saxon terms prefixed with a-

PhuthiEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial wa-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

PolishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“un-, not”), zero-grade form of *ne (“not”). Doublet of nie.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. forming words with the sense of negation, a-
    ‎a- + ‎społeczny → ‎aspołeczny

Derived termsEdit

Polish terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

  • a- in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • a- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

PortugueseEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old Portuguese a-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. added to adjective X, forms verbs meaning to make/turn X
    ‎a- + ‎vermelho (“red”) + ‎-ar → ‎avermelhar (“to redden”)
    ‎a- + ‎baixo (“low”) + ‎-ar → ‎abaixar (“to lower”)
  2. added to noun X, forms verbs meaning to cause or make X or to cause something to have X
    ‎a- + ‎pavor (“dread”) + ‎-ar → ‎apavorar (“to frighten”)
    ‎a- + ‎fama (“fame”) + ‎-ar → ‎afamar (“to make famous”)

Etymology 2Edit

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a- (not; without)
    Synonym: in-

Derived termsEdit

Portuguese terms prefixed with a-

ScotsEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English a- (“on”), derived from unstressed Middle English an (“on”), from Old English an (“on”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. on
    aback, agley, agrufe, athort, atween

Etymology 2Edit

From Middle English a-, from Old English of- (“off”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. off
    adoon

Etymology 3Edit

From Old Norse at- (“to”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. to
    adae, agae

Etymology 4Edit

From Middle English a- (“up, out, away”), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. away from
    abide, arise

Etymology 5Edit

From Middle English and-, from Old English and- (“against, back”), from Proto-Germanic *andi- (“across, opposite, against, away”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. against, opposite
    alang

Etymology 6Edit

From Middle English a-, from Old English ane (“one”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. one
    awhile

Etymology 7Edit

From ah!

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. ah
    aweel, alake

Etymology 8Edit

From Middle English a-, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad (“towards”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. towards
    avise

Etymology 9Edit

From Latin ab (“of, off, from, away”).

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. away from
    assoilzie

ReferencesEdit

Serbo-CroatianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“un-, not”), zero-grade form of *ne (“not”). Doublet of ne.

PrefixEdit

a- (Cyrillic spelling а-)

  1. Prefix prepended to words to denote a negation, deprivation or absence of a property denoted by base word.
    Synonyms: bez-, ne-

ReferencesEdit

  • “a-” in Hrvatski jezični portal

Southern NdebeleEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial wa-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gáá-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. of; class 6 possessive concord.

Etymology 3Edit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Class 6 relative concord.

SpanishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Latin ad-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. A prefix forming words, especially verbs, that denote entering a state, making progress toward a goal, or the like.
See alsoEdit

Etymology 2Edit

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel; generalized from the many Latin borrowings using this prefix.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. a-, non-, -less
Usage notesEdit
  • Used with stems that begin with consonants except h. an- is synonymous and is used in front of words that start with vowels and h. For example, analfabetismo (“analphabetism”).

Derived termsEdit

Spanish terms prefixed with a-

Further readingEdit

SwaziEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *à-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord, used in the subjunctive and potential mood.
See alsoEdit
  • u- (in other cases)

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial wa-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

Etymology 3Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gáá-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. of; class 6 possessive concord.

WelshEdit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. affirmative prefix, emphasises prefixed word
    ‎a- + ‎trist (“sad”) → ‎athrist (“very sad, sorrowful”)
    ‎a- + ‎traidd (“piercing, penetration”) → ‎athraidd (“permeable”)
Usage notesEdit

Triggers aspirate mutation of the following consonant.

Derived termsEdit

Welsh terms prefixed with a-

MutationEdit

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal h-prothesis
a- unchanged unchanged ha-
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

ReferencesEdit

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “a-”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

XhosaEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

a- (medial wa-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gáá-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. of; class 6 possessive concord.

Etymology 3Edit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Class 6 relative concord.

Etymology 4Edit

From Proto-Bantu *nkà-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. not
Usage notesEdit

Used in the indicative mood, prefixed to the subject concord.

ZuluEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *à-.

PrefixEdit

á- (medial ká-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord, used in the subjunctive and potential mood.
See alsoEdit
  • u- (in other cases)

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gá-.

PrefixEdit

á- (medial wá-)

  1. they; class 6 subject concord.

Etymology 3Edit

From Proto-Bantu *gáá-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. of; class 6 possessive concord.

Etymology 4Edit

Originally a reduced form of la- (“general demonstrative”). Compare Swazi relative forms such as lesi-, which still keep the initial l-.

PrefixEdit

ā́-

  1. Used to form relative clauses.
Usage notesEdit

This prefix has conditioned allomorphs o- and e-.

Etymology 5Edit

From a- (“relative”) +‎ a- (“class 6”).

PrefixEdit

ā́-

  1. Class 6 relative concord.

Etymology 6Edit

From Proto-Bantu *nkà-.

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. not
Usage notesEdit

Used in the indicative mood, prefixed to the subject concord.

Alternative formsEdit

Etymology 7Edit

PrefixEdit

a-

  1. Alternative form of ma- (hortative)

ReferencesEdit

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