cata-
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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).
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Origin of cata-
<Greek kata-, combining form of katá down, through, against, according to, towards, during
Words nearby cata-
casuist, casuistic, casuistry, casus belli, cat, cata-, catabaptist, catabasis, catabiotic, catabolic, catabolism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use cata- in a sentence
He won't stan' it, and he's a class of custom that you want to cata to when it comes in your way.
Ragged Lady, Complete|William Dean HowellsAs I shut the door, she leaned to me and whispered: Tell her for me shes a cata cruel cat.
One of these was found out at the trial to be La Cata himself.
The Pirates' Who's Who|Philip Gosse
British Dictionary definitions for cata-
cata-
kata-, before an aspirate cath- or before a vowel cat-
prefix
down; downwards; lower in positioncatadromous; cataphyll
indicating reversal, opposition, degeneration, etccataplasia; catatonia
Word Origin for cata-
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)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for cata-
cata-
pref.
Down:catabolism.
Reverse; backward; degenerative:cataplasia.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.