κατα-

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See also: κατά, κατά-, and κᾷτα

Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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  • κατ- (kat-)before a vowel with smooth breathing
  • καθ- (kath-)before a vowel with rough breathing

Etymology

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See κατά (katá).

Prefix

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κᾰτᾰ- (kata-)

  1. back
  2. downwards
  3. against
  4. fully, completely

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek κατα- (kata-), from Ancient Greek κατά (katá, down, into, against).

Pronunciation

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Prefix

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κατα- (kata-), κατά- (katá-)

  1. added before a noun, adjective or verb to create words that indicates something that is down in a downward direction:
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎βάση (vási, basis, base) → ‎κατάβαση (katávasi, descent)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎βρόχθος (vróchthos, throat (Ancient Greek)) → ‎καταβροχθίζω (katavrochthízo, to gobble, to devour, to wolf down)
  2. (intensifier) added before a noun, adjective or verb to create words that indicates something to a great degree or intensity:
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎μαύρος (mávros, black) → ‎κατάμαυρος (katámavros, jet-black)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎άσπρος (áspros, white) → ‎κάτασπρος (kátaspros, snow white, completely white)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎φως (fos, light) → ‎κατάφωτος (katáfotos, ablaze)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎πτύω (ptýo, to spit (Ancient Greek)) → ‎κατάπτυστος (katáptystos, foul, villainous, worthy of spitting on)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎κλέβω (klévo, to steal, to rob) → ‎κατακλέβω (kataklévo, to rob blind)
  3. added before a noun, adjective or verb to create words that indicates something is against a person to a great degree:
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎γελώ (geló, to laugh) → ‎καταγελώ (katageló, to laugh at, to mock)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎δικάζω (dikázo, to judge) → ‎καταδικάζω (katadikázo, to condemn, to convict)
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎αναγκάζω (anagkázo, to compel, to necessitate) → ‎καταναγκάζω (katanagkázo, to force someone)
  4. (geology) added before a noun, adjective or verb to create words that indicates something that is under or before:
    κατα- (kata-) + ‎αρχαιοζωικός (archaiozoïkós, Archaean) → ‎καταρχαιοζωικός (katarchaiozoïkós, Hadean, pre-Archaean)

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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