Home US English a-

Main definitions of a- in English

: a-1a-2a-3a-4

a-1

prefix

  • Not; without.

    ‘atheistic’
    ‘atypical’

Origin

From Greek.

Pronunciation

a-

/eɪ-/

Main definitions of a- in English

: a-1a-2a-3a-4

a-2

prefix

  • 1To; toward.

    ‘aside’
    ‘ashore’
    1. 1.1In the process of (an activity)
      ‘a-hunting’
    2. 1.2In a specified state or manner.
      ‘asleep’
      ‘aloud’
    3. 1.3On.
      ‘afoot’
    4. 1.4In.
      ‘nowadays’

Origin

Old English, unstressed form of on.

Pronunciation

a-

/eɪ-/

Main definitions of a- in English

: a-1a-2a-3a-4

a-3

prefix

variant spelling of ad- assimilated before sc, sp, and st (as in ascend, aspire, and astringent)

Pronunciation

a-

/eɪ-/

Main definitions of a- in English

: a-1a-2a-3a-4

a-4

prefix

  • 1Of.

    ‘anew’

  • 2Utterly.

    ‘abash’

Origin

Sense 1 is an unstressed form of of; sense 2 is from Anglo-Norman French a- (Old French e-, es-), from Latin ex.

Pronunciation

a-

/eɪ-/