Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “des-” come from?

des- (English) comes from Middle English dis-, from Old French des-, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus, from Latin calx, from Ancient Greek χάλιξ — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

des- (English): Obsolete form of dis-; removal of a group from a...

Definitions

  1. Obsolete form of dis-; removal of a group from a...

Ancestry of “des-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdis-—
2Old Frenchdes-de-; dis-
3Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
4Latincalceusshoe
5Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
6Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “des-”

  • desloratadine
  • desmethyl
  • desoxycorticosterone
  • desoxyribonucleic
  • desoxyribose
  • desoxyephedrine
  • desthiobiotin
  • desomorphine
  • desfuroylceftiofur
  • desoxy-
  • desoxazoline
  • desmethylxanthohumol
  • levodesoxyephedrine
  • desethylsimazine
  • desnitro
  • desargination
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →