prostrate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to cast (oneself ) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration.
-
to lay flat, as on the ground.
-
to throw down level with the ground.
-
to overthrow, overcome, or reduce to helplessness.
-
to reduce to physical weakness or exhaustion.
adjective
-
lying flat or at full length, as on the ground.
-
lying face down on the ground, as in token of humility, submission, or adoration.
-
overthrown, overcome, or helpless.
a country left prostrate by natural disasters.
-
physically weak or exhausted.
-
utterly dejected or depressed; disconsolate.
-
Botany. (of a plant or stem) lying flat on the ground.
adjective
-
lying with the face downwards, as in submission
-
exhausted physically or emotionally
-
helpless or defenceless
-
(of a plant) growing closely along the ground
verb
-
to bow or cast (oneself) down, as in submission
-
to lay or throw down flat, as on the ground
-
to make helpless or defenceless
-
to make exhausted
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prostrate
First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the adjective) Middle English prostrat, from Latin prōstrātus “lying flat,” past participle of prōsternere “to lie flat, knock down, overthrow,” from prō- pro- 1 + sternere “to lay out, stretch, spread”; verb derivative of the adjective
Explanation
The verb prostrate means to lie face-downward in submission or despair. More generally, it means to make helpless or defenseless. Illness, injury, grief, despair — any of these things can prostrate someone. The word prostrate traces back to the Latin word prostratus, meaning “thrown down.” If you are prostrate, you feel thrown down and laid flat. It can describe lying on the ground in a helpless position, or it can be used to describe someone who has been overcome or made unable to function, such as someone who is prostrated by grief or illness.
Vocabulary lists containing prostrate
The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Julius Caesar
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Call of the Wild
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The first of Sue Townsend's comic series, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 3/4, was published in 1982 and the eighth instalment, Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years, was released in 2009.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2018
Prostrate on the ground, she commanded new efforts.
From SAT Tests
Prostrate Turkey was revived by Kemal Atat�rk, who achieved a separation of church and state, ended the Caliphate and banished religious leaders from public life.
From Time Magazine Archive
Prostrate, young Prince Ludwig was rushed to the home of friends, Lord & Lady Louis Mountbatten, relatives of King George VI.
From Time Magazine Archive
I'll fall before her feet Prostrate; implore, besiege her royal heart, And force her to forgive.
From The Earl of Essex by Jones, Henry Festing
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
