a-

a-¹

(often an- before a vowel)

prefix not; without: atheistic.

Origin

from Gk.

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a-²

prefix

1》 to; towards: aside.

2》 in the process of: a-hunting.

    ↘in a specified state: aflutter.

Origin

OE, unstressed form of on.

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a-³

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

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a-⁴

prefix

1》 of: anew.

2》 utterly: abash.

Origin

unstressed form of of (sense 1); Anglo-Norman Fr. a-, from L. ex (sense 2).