dec-
variant of deca- before a vowel.
dec-
1 American
dec.
2
American
abbreviation
dec.
3
American
abbreviation
-
deceased.
-
decimeter.
-
declension.
-
decrease.
-
Music. decrescendo.
Dec.
4
American
abbreviation
dec.
1
British
abbreviation
-
deceased
-
music decrescendo
Dec
2
British
abbreviation
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Timing of Tress dec. will make sense after you read it.”
From Chicago Tribune ● May 30, 2011
According to Herrera, dec. vi. lib. i. cap. vii. p.
From Historical Introduction to Studies Among the Sedentary Indians of New Mexico; Report on the Ruins of the Pueblo of Pecos Papers Of The Archæological Institute Of America, American Series, Vol. I by Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier
He teased that a Dec. 4 Listening Room event in Seattle for India Arie’s “Acoustic Soul” will feature a special guest.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026
Riverside County has until Dec. 2 to respond to the claim, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
On Dec. 23, the Justices adopted a celebrated Georgetown scholar’s academic reading of the statute, saying it only allowed the president to commandeer national guard troops if the situation had already outmatched the standing army.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ordered Trump to sit for a videotaped deposition to take questions from the BBC’s lawyers by Dec. 11.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
“I received her wedding cards about Dec. 10,” he wrote.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
The King joked: "I've always wondered whether someone would put Ant and Dec back in their box."
From BBC ● May 11, 2026
Marisa, Lucciano's mother, was stood in the wings with Ant and Dec while her father and son took to the stage for the ITV talent show.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Such tariffs accounted for about 67% of the tariffs collected in the 2025 fiscal year, which runs through September, and 57% of the tariffs collected between the end of September and Dec 14.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
Warsh “is coming with hawkish credentials,” said Dec Mullarkey, managing director of SLC Management.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Dec stops eating long enough to gape at me, her mouth full of partially chewed casserole.
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
