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Translingual
Etymology
From the Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- , “ not, without ” ) .
Prefix
a-
Used to form taxonomic names indicating a lack of some feature that might be expected
Derived terms
English
Etymology 1
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 a- , German er- .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( no longer productive ) Forming verbs with the sense away , up , on , out .
a rise, a wait
( no longer productive ) Forming verbs with the sense of intensified action.
a bide, a maze
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( rare or no longer productive ) In , on , at ; used to show a state, condition, or manner. Also passing into sense 2. [ 1]
a glow, a pace, a fire, a boil, a -bling, a bluster
( no longer productive ) In, into. Also passing into sense 5. [ 1]
a sunder
In the direction of, or toward . [ 1]
a stern, a beam
( archaic or dialectal ) At such a time. [ 1]
Come a -morning we are going hunting.
( archaic or dialectal ) In the act or process of. Used in some dialects before a present participle. [ 1]
hits a- poppin
doins a- transpirin [doings a- transpiring]
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’.
Usage notes
Adjectives formed with this prefix are often restricted to predicative use, owing to their origin as prepositional phrases with the preposition "on." For example, one may say "the ship is afire, " but not "the afire ship," just as one may say "the ship is on fire, " but not "the on fire ship."
Etymology 3
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 ” ) .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
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. [ 1]
a ware, a like
( Devon ) Used to form the past participle of a verb.
I have a- gone.
I have a- seen a bird.
Etymology 4
From Anglo-Norman a- , from Old French e- , from Latin ex- .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( no longer productive ) Forming words with the sense of wholly , or utterly out . [ 1]
a bash
Etymology 5
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately followed by a vowel).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
Not , without, opposite of.
a moral, a symmetry, a theism, a sexual, a cyclic, a typical
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, published 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 notes
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 .
Synonyms
Translations
not, without, opposite of
Etymology 6
From Middle English a- , from Middle French a- , from Latin ad ( “ towards ” ) .
Prefix
a-
( no longer productive ) Towards; Used to indicate direction, reduction to, increase to, change into, or motion. [ 1]
a scend, a spire, a mass, a bandon, a venue
Usage notes
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 7
From Latin ab ( “ of, off, from, away ” ) .
Prefix
a-
( no longer productive ) Away from. [ 1]
a vert, a perient, a bridge, a ssoil,[ 3] a ssoilzie
Usage notes
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 8
From Middle English a- , o- ( “ of ” ) . See a ( preposition, of ) .
Prefix
a-
( no longer productive ) Of, from. [ 1]
Usage notes
Different Germanic and Latinate senses of a- became confused (vaguely “intensive") and are all unproductive. The Greek sense of “not” (e.g., amoral , asymmetry ) remains in use.
“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 , or even archaic, and wholly otiose .” OED.
Derived terms
References
Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002 ), “a-”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles , 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press , →ISBN , page 1.
Christine A. Lindberg, editor (2002 ), “a-”, in The Oxford College Dictionary , 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Spark Publishing, →ISBN , page 1.
Laurence Urdang (editor), The Random House College Dictionary (Random House, 1984 , →ISBN ), page 1
Douglas Harper (2001–2024 ) “a- ”, in Online Etymology Dictionary .
Etymology 9
Prefix
a-
Alternative form of -a ( “ empty syllable added to songs, poetry, verse and other speech ” )
A- tisket a- tasket, A green and yellow basket
Etymology 10
Prefix
a-
( 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]
References
↑ 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
A-Pucikwar
Prefix
a-
prefix attached to words relating to the mouth, such as the names of languages
Catalan
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) .
Prefix
a-
a- ( not, without )
a- + moral ( “ moral ” ) → amoral ( “ amoral ” )
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Latin ad ( “ towards ” ) .
Prefix
a-
used to make verbs from adjectives and nouns
a- + feble ( “ weak ” ) → afeblir ( “ to weaken ” )
a- + sabor ( “ taste ” ) → assaborir ( “ to taste ” )
Derived terms
Further reading
Danish
Prefix
a-
a- , un- (not )
A- (atomic , nuclear )
Synonyms: atom- , A-
Derived terms
Dutch
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately preceding a vowel).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
a- : not , without, opposite of
Derived terms
See also
Esperanto
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) .
Prefix
a-
without , -less
Derived terms
Fingallian
Etymology
From Middle English a- ( “ on ” ) , derived from unstressed Middle English an ( “ on ” ) , from Old English an ( “ on ” ) .
Prefix
a-
Used to show a state, condition, or manner.
A NORTH-COUNTY DUBLIN CLOSSARY :
The hay is a- cutting now. You're a- wanting.
References
J. J. Hogan and Patrick C. O'Neill (1947 ) Béaloideas Iml. 17, Uimh 1/2 , An Cumann Le Béaloideas Eireann/Folklore of lreland Society, page 263
Finnish
Etymology
Internationalism (see English a- ), ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( in loanwords ) a- , non- , un-
Synonym: epä-
Franco-Provençal
Etymology
Inherited from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a- ( ORB )
Attaches to verbs, sometimes adding a sense of "toward".
Derived terms
French
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Inherited from Old French a- , from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
A prefix forming words, especially verbs, that denote entering a state, making progress toward a goal, or the like.
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately preceding a vowel; generalized from the many Latin borrowings using this prefix.
Prefix
a-
a- , non- , -less
Derived terms
Further reading
Galician
Etymology 1
From Old Galician-Portuguese a- , from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
added to adjective X, forms verbs meaning to make/turn X
a- + curto ( “ short ” ) + -ar → acurtar ( “ to shorten ” )
added to noun X, forms verbs meaning to cause or make X or to cause something to have X
a- + fervor ( “ passion ” ) + -ar → afervoar ( “ to excite ” )
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) , from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- .
Prefix
a-
a- ( not; without )
Synonym: in-
Derived terms
German
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately preceding a vowel).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
a- ( not, without, opposite of )
Derived terms
Further reading
“a- ” in Duden online
“a- ” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Hanunoo
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ha- ( adjectival prefix for adjectives of measure ) . Compare Bikol Central ha- and Cebuano ha- .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ʔa/
Syllabification: a-
Prefix
a- (Hanunoo spelling ᜠ )
adjectival prefix to words denoting height, length, or depth
Derived terms
Further reading
Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*ha-₁ ”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI
Indonesian
Etymology
From Sanskrit अ- ( a- , “ un-, not ” ) , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *a- , from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
a- ( not, without, opposite of )
Derived terms
Further reading
Irish
ai- ( before a palatalized consonant, both etymologies )
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately followed by a vowel).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
a- ( not, without, opposite of )
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Prefix
a-
Alternative form of ath- used before t
Italian
Etymology 1
Inherited from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
ad- ( indicating direction )
Usage notes
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) .
Prefix
a-
a- ( indicating lack or loss )
Derived terms
Japhug
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( Kamnyu ) my
Derived terms
See also
Latin
Etymology 1
Prefix
ā-
Alternative form of ab-
Usage notes
Used before bilabial voiced consonants: b- , m- and v- .
Etymology 2
From ad ( “ towards ” ) .
Prefix
a-
( Before a word beginning with sc , sp or st ) Alternative form of ad-
a- + scandere ( “ climb ” ) → a scendere ( “ climb up, go up; rise, spring up ” )
a- + scrībere ( “ write ” ) → a scrībere ( “ state in writing, add in writing; insert; appoint, enroll, enfranchise, reckon, number ” )
a- + spīrāre ( “ breathe ” ) → a spīrāre ( “ breathe or blow upon; am favorable to, assist, favor, aid; aspire or desire (to); approach, come near (to) ” )
a- + specere ( “ observe, look at ” ) → a spicere ( “ look at or towards, behold; regard, respect; observe, notice; examine, inspect; consider, ponder ” )
a- + stringere ( “ press, tighten, compress ” ) → a stringere ( “ draw close, bind or tie together; tighten, contract; check, restrain; oblige, necessitate ” )
a- + struere ( “ compose, construct, build; ready, prepare; place, arrange ” ) → a struere ( “ build near or to a thing, erect; build on, heap; build an additional structure ” )
Latvian
Etymology
Via other European languages, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately preceding a vowel).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
Not , not having , without , opposite of.
a- + seksuāls → aseksuāls
Mohawk
aon- ( before s- ( “ iterative ” ) and t- ( “ cislocative ” ) )
Prefix
a-
irrealis prefix
References
Nora Deering, Helga H. Delisle (1976 ) Mohawk: A teaching grammar (preliminary version), Quebec: Manitou College, page 332
Murui Huitoto
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
( unproductive ) Used to form a few adverbs signifying a location or motion from or to above.
Derived terms
References
Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017 ) A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia. , Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 145
Navajo
Prefix
a-
someone 's, people 's
Usage notes
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 also
Navajo possessive pronouns
Neapolitan
Etymology
Inherited from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
compare Italian a-
Derived terms
Northern Ndebele
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
a- (medial wa- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Etymology 2
From Proto-Bantu *gáá- .
Prefix
a-
of ; class 6 possessive concord.
Etymology 3
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Prefix
a-
Class 6 relative concord.
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology 1
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 .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
indicating the first or best in something
Synonyms: a , A-
a- + lag → a-lag
Etymology 2
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).
Prefix
a-
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 ” )
Derived terms
Etymology 3
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 .
Prefix
a-
Short for atom- .
a- + bombe → a-bombe
References
“a-” in The Bokmål Dictionary .
“a-” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB ).
“a- ” in Store norske leksikon
Anagrams
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- , “ not, without ” ) .
Prefix
a-
a- ( not, without )
Derived terms
References
“a-” in The Nynorsk Dictionary .
Old English
Etymology
From an earlier form ar- , from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ- , from Proto-Germanic *uz- . Cognate with Old High German ar- , ir- (German er- ).
Pronunciation
Prefix
ā-
from , away , off , out
āniman ― to take away, to remove
Derived terms
Descendants
Old French
Etymology
From Latin ad , which was often reduced to a- in compounds.
Prefix
a-
indicating movement towards something
( by extension ) indicating a change of state
intensifying prefix
alternative form of es-
Derived terms
Old Irish
Prefix
a- (class A infixed pronoun )
him ( triggers eclipsis )
it ( triggers lenition )
Usage notes
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 terms
See also
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 Javanese
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Prefix
a-
active verb forming
Synonyms: (m)aN- , -um-
adjective forming
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Sanskrit अ- ( a- , “ un- , not ” )
Prefix
a-
un- , not
Derived terms
Old Saxon
Etymology
From an earlier form ar- , from Proto-Germanic *uz- . Cognate with Old English a- , Old High German ar- , ir- (German er- ).
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
forming words with the sense from , away , out , off , e.g. animan
Derived terms
Phuthi
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
a- (medial wa- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Polish
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
forming words with the sense of negation, a-
a- + społeczny → aspołeczny
Derived terms
Further reading
a- in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old Galician-Portuguese a- , from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
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 ” )
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 2
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) , from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- .
Prefix
a-
a- ( not; without )
Synonym: in-
Derived terms
Sardinian
Etymology
Inherited from Classical Latin ad- , from the preposition ad ( “ to, towards ” ) .
Prefix
a-
ad- ( toward, to, tendency )
Derived terms
Scots
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English a- ( “ on ” ) , derived from unstressed Middle English an ( “ on ” ) , from Old English an ( “ on ” ) .
Prefix
a-
on
a back, a gley, a grufe, a thort, a tween
Etymology 2
From Middle English a- , from Old English of- ( “ off ” ) .
Prefix
a-
off
a doon
Etymology 3
From Old Norse at- ( “ to ” ) .
Prefix
a-
to
a dae, a gae
Etymology 4
From Middle English a- ( “ up, out, away ” ) , from Old English ā- , originally *ar- , *or- , from Proto-Germanic *uz- ( “ out- ” ) .
Prefix
a-
away from
a bide, a rise
Etymology 5
From Middle English and- , from Old English and- ( “ against, back ” ) , from Proto-Germanic *andi- ( “ across, opposite, against, away ” ) .
Prefix
a-
against , opposite
a lang
Etymology 6
From Middle English a- , from Old English ane ( “ one ” ) .
Prefix
a-
one
a while
Etymology 7
From ah!
Prefix
a-
ah
a weel, a lake
Etymology 8
From Middle English a- , from Middle French a- , from Latin ad ( “ towards ” ) .
Prefix
a-
towards
a vise
Etymology 9
From Latin ab ( “ of, off, from, away ” ) .
Prefix
a-
away from
a ssoilzie
References
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
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 .
Prefix
a- (Cyrillic spelling а- )
Prefix prepended to words to denote a negation, deprivation or absence of a property denoted by base word.
Synonyms: bez- , ne-
a- + sȍcijālan → ȁsocijālan
a- + simètrija → asimètrija
a- + brahija → abrahija
References
“a- ”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal ] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
Southern Ndebele
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
a- (medial wa- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Etymology 2
From Proto-Bantu *gáá- .
Prefix
a-
of ; class 6 possessive concord.
Etymology 3
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Prefix
a-
Class 6 relative concord.
Spanish
Etymology 1
Inherited from Latin ad- .
Prefix
a-
forms words, especially verbs, that denote entering a state, making progress toward a goal, or the like
See also
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) (ἀν- ( an- ) immediately preceding a vowel; generalized from the many Latin borrowings using this prefix.
Prefix
a-
a- , non- , -less
Usage notes
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 terms
Further reading
Swahili
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *à- .
Prefix
a-
she , he ; 3rd person singular (m class(I) ) subject concord
Antonym: ha-
See also
Number
Person
Independent
Subject concord
Object concord
Combined forms
Possessive
affirmative
negative
na
ndi-
si-
Singular
First
mimi
ni-
si-
-ni-
nami , na mimi
ndimi , ndiye
simi , siye
-angu
Second
wewe
u-
hu-
-ku-
nawe , na wewe
ndiwe , ndiye
siwe , siye
-ako
Third
yeye
a- , yu-
ha- , hayu-
-m- , -mw- , -mu-
naye , na yeye
ndiye
siye
-ake
Plural
First
sisi
tu-
hatu-
-tu-
nasi , na sisi
ndisi , ndio
sio
-etu
Second
ninyi
m- , mw- , mu-
ham- , hamw- , hamu-
-wa-
nanyi , na ninyi
ndinyi , ndio
sinyi , sio
-enu
Third
wao
wa-
hawa-
-wa-
nao
ndio
sio
-ao
Reflexive
—
—
-ji-
—
—
For a full table including other classes, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns .
Etymology 2
Prefix
a-
Contraction of a- + -a- ( “ 3rd person singular (m class(I) ) gnomic ” ) .
Swazi
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *à- .
Prefix
a- (medial ka- )
he , she , it ; class 1 subject concord, used in the subjunctive and potential mood.
See also
Etymology 2
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
a- (medial wa- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Etymology 3
From Proto-Bantu *gáá- .
Prefix
a-
of ; class 6 possessive concord.
Tagal Murut
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ma- , from Proto-Austronesian *ma- ( stative prefix ) .
Prefix
a-
used to form adjectives indicating a quality
a- + amis ( “ sweetness ” ) → a-amis ( “ sweet ” )
a- + laat ( “ badness ” ) → a-laat ( “ bad ” )
Tagalog
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Spanish a , from Latin ad .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a- (Baybayin spelling ᜀ )
at ( indicating time )
Puntahan kita sa a-primero ng Marso. I'll go to you at the first of March.
Sahuran tuwing a-kinse ng bawat buwan. It is payday every 15th of every month.
A-treynta y uno kahapon.Yesterday was the 31st .
Usage notes
Only used before Spanish cardinal numbers to tell the date for a month. For the first day of a month, a-primero is more correct but a-uno is also used by younger speakers. The prefix has the same function as ika- for Tagalog cardinal numbers.
The prefix is optional but Spanish-oriented speakers often use it.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Prefix
á- (Baybayin spelling ᜀ ) ( dialectal , chiefly Mindoro )
forms contemplative aspect forms for verbs in the object or directional trigger
Usage notes
See also
Tashelhit
Etymology
From Proto-Berber .
Prefix
a- .
the masculine form of nouns.
the masculine form of adjectives.
Tooro
( before -a- or subjunctive -e- ) y-
( before vowels in other cases ) ay-
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu *à- .
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
he , she ; class 1 subject concord
a- + -kora ( “ to do ” ) → akora ( “ he/she does ” )
See also
References
Kaji, Shigeki (2007 ) A Rutooro Vocabulary , Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), →ISBN , page 413
Welsh
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
affirmative prefix, emphasises prefixed word
a- + trist ( “ sad ” ) → athrist ( “ very sad, sorrowful ” )
a- + traidd ( “ piercing, penetration ” ) → athraidd ( “ permeable ” )
Usage notes
Triggers aspirate mutation of the following consonant.
Derived terms
Mutation
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
References
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
Xhosa
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
a- (medial wa- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Etymology 2
From Proto-Bantu *gáá- .
Prefix
a-
of ; class 6 possessive concord.
Etymology 3
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Prefix
a-
Class 6 relative concord.
Etymology 4
From Proto-Bantu *nkà- .
Prefix
a-
not
Usage notes
Used in the indicative mood, prefixed to the subject concord.
Ye'kwana
Variant orthographies
ALIV
a-
Brazilian standard
a-
New Tribes
a-
Pronunciation
Prefix
a-
allomorph of öt- ( detransitivizing prefix )
allomorph of ö- ( second-person prefix ) used for stems that begin with a consonant and have a first vowel a or e
Inflection
Ye'kwana personal markers
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- 1
w- , wi-
first person dual inclusive
küwü
k- , kü- , ku- , ki-
k- , kii- , ki- 1
second person
amödö
ö- , öy- /ödh- , o- , oy- /odh- , a- , ay- /adh-
m- , mi-
first person dual exclusive
nña
y- /dh- , ch- , ∅- , i- 1
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-
With following vowel lengthened if in an unreduced open syllable.
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
Zulu
Etymology 1
From Proto-Bantu *à- .
Prefix
á- (medial ká- )
he , she , it ; class 1 subject concord, used in the subjunctive and potential mood.
See also
Etymology 2
From Proto-Bantu *gá- .
Prefix
á- (medial wá- )
they ; class 6 subject concord.
Etymology 3
From Proto-Bantu *gáá- .
Prefix
a-
of ; class 6 possessive concord.
Etymology 4
Originally a reduced form of la- ( “ general demonstrative ” ) . Compare Swazi relative forms such as lesi- , which still keep the initial l- .
Prefix
ā́-
Used to form relative clauses.
Usage notes
This prefix has conditioned allomorphs o- and e- .
Etymology 5
From a- ( “ relative ” ) + a- ( “ class 6 ” ) .
Prefix
ā́-
Class 6 relative concord.
Etymology 6
From Proto-Bantu *nkà- .
Prefix
a-
not
Usage notes
Used in the indicative mood, prefixed to the subject concord.
Etymology 7
Prefix
a-
Alternative form of ma- ( hortative )
References