Etymograph

English

alpha privative

Alpha privative comes from Ancient Greek ἄλφα στερητικόν.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄλφα στερητικόνálpha sterētikón
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalpha prīvātīvum
  3. Englishtodayalpha privative

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄλφα στερητικόνálpha sterētikón
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalpha prīvātīvum
  3. Englishtodayalpha privative

Every English word from Ancient Greek ἄλφα στερητικόν

Today it means

noun The prefix a- (or an- when prefixing a root which begins with a vowel) found in some English words of Greek derivation. It expresses negation or absence. The prefix has cognates in other Indo-European languages, including in- in Latin and un- in English, all traceable back to Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἄλφα στερητικόν / alpha privative

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