*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of ab-

Borrowed from Latin ab-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”) (English off, of). Doublet of apo- and off-.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
prefix

From. · Away from; outside of.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Latin ab-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”) (English off, of). Doublet of apo- and off-.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mentionab-la
  • Derivation mention*h₂epoine-pro
  • Cognate mentionoffen
  • Doublet mentionapo-en
  • Doublet mentionoff-en
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "la:ab-",
        "id": "away"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"from, away from\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ab\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ab-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"ab-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"away\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"ab-\" id=\"English:_away\">"
    },
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      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
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        "2": "la",
        "3": "ab-"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Latin ab-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂epo",
        "4": "",
        "5": "off, away"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "off"
      },
      "expansion": "English off"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "apo-",
        "3": "off-"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of apo- and off-"
    },
    {
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "la:ab-",
        "id": "away"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "ab-",
      "ab-#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂epo",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂epo"
    ],
    [
      "off",
      "off#English"
    ],
    [
      "of",
      "of#English"
    ],
    [
      "apo-",
      "apo-#English"
    ],
    [
      "off-",
      "off-#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "From.",
        "Away from; outside of."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "morpheme"
      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
prefix

Used in the names of certain units in the centimeter-gram-second system.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *s(w)éder. Latin se- Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-éti Proto-Indo-European *luh₁éti Proto-Italic [Term?] Latin luō Latin solvō Latin absolvōder. Latin absolūtusder. Middle French absolutder. Middle English absolut English absoluteclip. English ab- Clipping of absolute.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "absolute",
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        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂ep\nProto-Indo-European *-o\nProto-Indo-European *h₂epó\nProto-Italic *ap\nLatin abder.\nLatin ab-\nProto-Indo-European *s(w)éder.\nLatin se-\nProto-Indo-European *lewh₁-\nProto-Indo-European *-éti\nProto-Indo-European *luh₁éti\nProto-Italic [Term?]\nLatin luō\nLatin solvō\nLatin absolvōder.\nLatin absolūtusder.\nMiddle French absolutder.\nMiddle English absolut\nEnglish absoluteclip.\nEnglish ab-\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"to loosen, to absolve\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"from, away from\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"from, away from\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂ep\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-o\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂epó\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*ap\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ab\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ab-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"gloss\" : \"to release, to loosen, to dissolve, to take apart\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"away\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*s(w)é\", \"gloss\" : \"self\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*swé\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"se-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"release\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*luh₁éti\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*lewh₁-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éti\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"luō\", \"gloss\" : \"to untie, set free, separate\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"solvō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"absolvō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"absolūtus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"absolut\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"absolut\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"absolute\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"ab-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"absolute\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"ab-\" id=\"English:_absolute\">\nClipping of absolute."
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    }
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  "links": [
    [
      "*h₂ep",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂ep"
    ],
    [
      "*-o",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-o"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂epó",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂epó"
    ],
    [
      "*ap",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/ap"
    ],
    [
      "ab",
      "ab#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "ab-",
      "ab-#Latin"
    ],
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      "*s(w)é",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/swé"
    ],
    [
      "se-",
      "se-#Latin"
    ],
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      "*lewh₁-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/lewh₁-"
    ],
    [
      "*-éti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-éti"
    ],
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      "luō",
      "luo#Latin:_release"
    ],
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      "solvō",
      "solvo#Latin"
    ],
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      "absolvō",
      "absolvo#Latin"
    ],
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      "absolūtus",
      "absolutus#Latin"
    ],
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      "absolut",
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for ab- →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-YWIt