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de-
(DEE)down or away from
Latin for down or away from. To descend is to go down; to depart is to go away.
prefixLatin
Place & directionExample words
descend
to go down
deport
to carry away (from a country)
describe
to write about (originally, to write down a description)
Words in our dictionary that use this root
Every dataset word containing de-, with the parts it shares with other roots in our set.
describe
to write or speak in detail about something
deduct
to lead away — to subtract
decapitate
to cut off the head
descend
to go down
deport
to carry away (from a country)
dehydrate
to remove water
destruction
the act of tearing down
deform
to change the shape (usually for the worse)
Common Core alignment
Grades served: 5, 6, 7
- L.5.4bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
- L.6.4bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
- L.7.4bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).
Place & direction. Roots that locate things: under, over, between, before, after.
Browse all place & direction roots →L.5.4bL.6.4bL.7.4b