u-

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word u-. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word u-, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say u- in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word u- you have here. The definition of the word u- will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofu-, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Appendix:Variations of "u"

Translingual

Etymology

Typographical substitution for μ, in environments where the correct symbol is not available.

Prefix

u-

  1. (proscribed) Alternative form of μ- as an abbreviation of micro-, mikro-, микро- etc.

Basque

Prefix

u-

  1. Combining form of ur (“water”)

Chuukese

Prefix

u-

  1. (subject marker for tense modifying pronouns) I

Czech

Etymology

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

Prefix

u-

  1. (away) from
    ‎u- + ‎stoupit (“step”) → ‎ustoupit (“yield”)
  2. (inchoative)
  3. (telicity)
    ‎u- + ‎vidět (“see”) → ‎uvidět (“catch sight out of”)
  4. added to mean a bit
    ‎u- + ‎lít (“pour”) → ‎ulít (“pour off a little”)
  5. (u- + imperfective base + se) intensification: until exhaustion, expressing final stage of a process. (collocates with k smrti (“to death”))
    ‎u- + ‎kašlat (“have a cough”) → ‎ukašlat se (“die of coughing”)
    ‎u- + ‎smát se (“laugh”) → ‎usmát se (“die of laughing”)
    ‎u- + ‎trápit se (“grieve”) → ‎utrápit se (“die of grief”)
  6. (on perfective verbs) unintentionally, inadvertently, by mistake
    ‎u- + ‎řeknout (“say once”) → ‎uřeknout (“misspeak, say unintentionally once”)
  7. (root modality)
    ‎u- + ‎zvednout (“lift”) → ‎uzvednout (“be able to lift”)
    ‎u- + ‎nést (“carry”) → ‎unést (“be able to carry”)
  8. to gain by activity
    ‎u- + ‎šetřit (“to save”) → ‎ušetřit (“to save up”)
    ušetřit peníze. ― to save money.

Derived terms

Czech terms prefixed with u-
Derived terms

Further reading

  • u-/ú- in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

Danish

Prefix

u-

  1. in-, un-, non-; (prefix meaning not, reversing the meaning)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Danish terms prefixed with u-

Kamba

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u-

  1. you singular (used for conjugating verbs to the subjective or nominative case of the personal pronoun)

Kambera

Pronoun

u-

  1. Alternative form of mu-

See also

Kambera pronominal clitics
Nominative Genitive Accusative Dative
1sg ku- -nggu -ka -ngga
2sg mu- (u-) -mu -kau -nggau
3sg na- -na -ya -nya
1pl.incl ta- -nda -ta -nda
1pl.excl ma- -ma -kama -nggama
2pl mi- (i-) -mi -kami (-kai) -nggami (-nggai)
3pl da- -da -ha -nja

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

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

Prefix

u-

  1. Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

  1. Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse ú-, ó-, from Proto-Germanic *un-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, a prefix use of the particle *ne (“not”). Doublet of a-.

Prefix

u-

  1. un-, (in certain cases) im-
  2. an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"

Derived terms

Norwegian Bokmål terms prefixed with u-

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse ú- or ó-, English un-, German un-. With the intensifying function probably influenced by ov-.

Pronunciation

Prefix

u-

  1. un- (not)
    flaks → uflaks
    luck → bad luck
  2. used to create an undesired version of the following noun
    vêr → uvêr
    weather → severe weather
    tid → utid
    time → inconvenient time
  3. used to strengthen/intensify the following noun
    tal → utal
    number → huge number
  4. an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk terms prefixed with u-

References

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *u-.

Pronunciation

Prefix

u-

  1. perfective prefix
    ‎u- + ‎wiązać → ‎uwiązać

Derived terms

Old Polish terms prefixed with u-

Phuthi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish u-, from Proto-Slavic *u-.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /u/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -u
  • Syllabification: u

Prefix

u-

  1. appears in front of some verbs meaning: to make something behave in a certain way, en-, be-, make
    Synonym: o-
    ‎u- + ‎łatwy → ‎ułatwiać
  2. perfective prefix
    ‎u- + ‎bóść → ‎ubóść
  3. added to mean "a bit"
    ‎u- + ‎lać → ‎ulać
  4. added to mean away
    ‎u- + ‎iść → ‎ujść
  5. (rare) added to mean successfully, often without an imperfective counterpart
    ‎u- + ‎ciągnąć → ‎uciągnąć
    ‎u- + ‎rzucić → ‎urzucić

Derived terms

Polish terms prefixed with u-

Further reading

  • u- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Slovene

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *u-. Prefixed form of the preposition u.

Pronunciation

Prefix

u-

  1. Forms perfective verbs with the following meanings:
    1. (no change in meaning)
      ‎u- + ‎branīti (“to defend”) → ‎ubranīti (“to defend”)
    2. away
      ‎u- + ‎téči (“to run”) → ‎utéči (“to run away, escape”)
    3. (reflexive) to make a mistake while
      ‎u- + ‎štẹ́ti (“to count”) → ‎uštẹ́ti (“to miscount”)

Derived terms

Slovene terms prefixed with u-

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Swahili

Alternative forms

  • w- (before a vowel)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *dʊ̀- and Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (plural n- or ma-)

  1. u class(XI) noun prefix, denoting natural objects, extensions, abstract qualities, or collections of small things.
    ulimi mrefu ― a long tongue
    1. -ness, -ity
      ‎u- + ‎-chafu (“dirty”) → ‎uchafu (“dirtiness”)
      ‎u- + ‎mtoto (“child”) → ‎utoto (“childhood”)
      ‎u- + ‎binafsi (“self”) → ‎ubinafsi (“individualism”)
    2. forms names of countries
      ‎u- + ‎French France (“France”) → ‎Ufaransa (“France”)
Usage notes

Swahili merged the Bantu classes XI and XIV into one u class(XI), having its adjective agreement in m class(III).

Derived terms
Swahili terms prefixed with u-

See also

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

  1. you, 2nd person singular subject concord
    Antonym: hu-
See also
Swahili personal pronouns (m-wa class(I/II))
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 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́- and Proto-Bantu *dʊ́-.

Prefix

u-

  1. it, m class(III)/u class(XI) subject concord
    Antonym: hau-
  2. verb-initial form of -u- (“it, m class(III)/u class(XI) object concord”)
See also
Swahili verbal concords (third person)
Class Subject concord Object concord Relative
affirmative negative
m(I) a-, yu- ha-, hayu- -m-, -mw-, -mu- -ye
wa(II) wa- hawa- -wa- -o
m(III) u- hau- -u- -o
mi(IV) i- hai- -i- -yo
ji(V) li- hali- -li- -lo
ma(VI) ya- haya- -ya- -yo
ki(VII) ki- haki- -ki- -cho
vi(VIII) vi- havi- -vi- -vyo
n(IX) i- hai- -i- -yo
n(X) zi- hazi- -zi- -zo
u(XI) u- hau- -u- -o
ku(XV/XVII) ku- haku- -ku- -ko
pa(XVI) pa- hapa- -pa- -po
mu(XVIII) m-, mw-, mu- ham-, hamw-, hamu- -mu- -mo
For a full table including first and second person, see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns.

Swazi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Taos

Pronunciation

Prefix

u-

  1. (transitive) Third person singular subject + third person duoplural object.

Tlingit

Prefix

u-

  1. Marks the irrealis mood

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

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

Prefix

u-

  1. Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

  1. Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Ye'kwana

Pronunciation

Prefix

u-

  1. Allomorph of y- (first-person prefix) used for stems that begin with two consonants and have a first vowel u.

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-/öd-, o-, oy-/od-, a-, ay-/ad- m-, mi-
first person dual exclusive nña y-/d-, 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-
  1. 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

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ù/

Prefix

ù-

  1. (CY, SEY) abstract or instrument nominalizing prefix
Usage notes

Forms both abstract and concrete nouns:

Derived terms
Yoruba terms prefixed with u- (nominalizing prefix)

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ū/

Prefix

u-

  1. (CY, SEY) non-gerundive nominalizing prefix
    ‎u- + ‎kú (“to die”) → ‎ukú (“death”)
Derived terms
Yoruba terms prefixed with u-

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

  1. you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-. This noun class is marked simply with the class 1 augment and a null prefix.

Prefix

ú-

  1. Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

ú- (medial ká-)

  1. he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

ú- (medial wú-)

  1. he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Contracted from earlier úlu-, from Proto-Bantu *dʊ́-dʊ̀-.

Prefix

û-

  1. Class 11 noun prefix.

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia