cata-


  1. a prefix meaning “down,” “against,” “back,” occurring originally in loanwords from Greek (cataclysm; catalog; catalepsy); on this model, used in the formation of other compound words (catagenesis; cataphyll).

Origin of cata-

1
<Greek kata-, combining form of katá down, through, against, according to, towards, during
  • Also especially before a vowel, cat-; cath-, kata-.

Words Nearby cata-

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How to use cata- in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cata-

cata-

prefix
  1. down; downwards; lower in position: catadromous; cataphyll

  2. indicating reversal, opposition, degeneration, etc: cataplasia; catatonia

Origin of cata-

1
from Greek kata-, from kata. In compound words borrowed from Greek, kata- means: down (catabolism), away, off (catalectic), against (category), according to (catholic), and thoroughly (catalogue)

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