Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “subtract” come from?

Subtract comes from Latin subtractus, past participle of subtraho, combining sub- (under) and traho (to draw or pull), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

subtract (English): To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a...

Definitions

  1. To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a...

Ancestry of “subtract”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsubtractusremoved, withdrawn, subtracted
2Latinsubtrahō—
3Latinsub-sub-
4Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

Words derived from “subtract”

  • subtractive
  • subtractor
  • subtracter
  • subtractively
  • subtractable
  • nonsubtractive
  • subtractest
  • subtracteth
  • subtractiveness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →