a-

a- · prefix¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*uds-“up, out”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*uz-“out-”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*uʀ-
4. Old English · inherited fromā-
5. Middle English · inherited froma-“up, out, away”
6. English todaya-

From Middle English a- (“up, out, away”), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”), from Proto-Indo-European *uds- (“up, out”). Cognate with Old Saxon a-, German er-.

a- · prefix²

1. Old English · inherited froman“on”
2. Middle English · inherited froman“on”
3. Middle English · inherited froma-“on”
4. English todaya-

From Middle English a- (“on”), derived from unstressed Middle English an (“on”), from Old English an (“on”). See a (preposition, on, to, in, etc.)

a- · prefix³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱóm“with”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*ga-
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*ga-
4. Old English · inherited fromġe-
5. Middle English · inherited froma-
6. English todaya-

From Middle English a-, a variant form of y-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with”).

a- · prefix⁴

1. Latin · derived fromex-
2. Old French · derived frome-
3. Anglo-Norman · derived froma-
4. English todaya-

From Anglo-Norman a-, from Old French e-, from Latin ex-.

a- · prefix⁵

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀ-
2. English todaya-

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-), preconsonantal form of ἀν- (an-). Distant doublet of un-.

a- · prefix⁶

1. Latin · derived fromad“towards”
2. Middle French · derived froma-
3. Middle English · inherited froma-
4. English todaya-

Assimilated form of ad- before b, sc, sp, st, and sometimes m. From Middle English a-, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad (“towards”).

a- · prefix⁷

1. Latin · derived fromab“of, off, from, away”
2. English todaya-

From Latin ab (“of, off, from, away”).

a- · prefix⁸

1. Middle English · inherited froma-
2. English todaya-

From Middle English a-, o- (“of”). See a (preposition, of).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• First attested prior to 1150 In, on, at; used to show a state, condition, or manner. Also passing into sense 2.
• First attested prior to 1150 In, into. Also passing into sense 5.
• First attested prior to 1150 In the direction of, or toward.
• First attested prior to 1150 At such a time.
• First attested prior to 1150 In the act or process of. Used in some dialects before a present participle.
• First attested around 1150 to 1350 (Middle English). Alternative form of y-. In dialect, it is sometimes conflated with sense 5 of the previous definition, and is used as a general indicator of a participle.
• First attested from around 1150 to 1350. Forming words with the sense of wholly, or utterly out.
• First attested from around 1150 to 1350. Towards; Used to indicate direction, reduction to, increase to, change into, or motion.