dec-

¹ American  

1. variant of deca- before a vowel.

   decathlon.

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dec. ² American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) pour off.

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dec. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. deceased.

2. decimeter.

3. declension.

4. decrease.

5. Music. decrescendo.

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Dec. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. December.

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dec. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. deceased

2. music decrescendo

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Dec ² British  

abbreviation

1. December

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Usage

What does dec- mean? Dec- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “ten.” It appears in a small range of terms.Dec- comes from the Greek déka, meaning “ten.” The word December is related to this root via the Latin equivalent, decem. In fact, what is now the twelfth month of the year was once the tenth month of the early Roman calendar. Learn more at our entry for December.What are variants of dec-?Dec- is a variant of deca-, which loses its -a- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. A similar prefix is deka-, which is reserved for the naming of metric units, and a related Latin-origin form is deci-, from Latin decimus, “tenth.”Want to know more? Check out our Words That Use articles for deca-, deci-, and deka-.

Etymology

Origin of dec.

From the Latin word dēcantā

Example Sentences

Last year, WTI’s daily settlement prices ranged between $55.27 a barrel on Dec. 16 to $78.82 and back on Jan. 13, 2025.

From MarketWatch

By Dec. 31, McOsker’s campaign had raised over $190,000, according to the city’s Ethics Commission.

From Los Angeles Times

For the six months ended Dec. 31, MSG Sports’ revenue from related parties was about $65 million, while its related-party expenses were $83 million.

From The Wall Street Journal

She testified at a Dec. 9 congressional hearing that the agents neither identified themselves nor said why she was being detained.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since peaking in 2024, the stock has tumbled 79% from its all-time closing high of $139.51, which it reached on Dec. 4, 2024.

From Barron's