deca-

American  

1. a combining form meaning “ten,” used in the formation of compound words.

   decapod.

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deca- British  

prefix

1. denoting ten: decagon . In conjunction with scientific units the symbol da is used

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deca– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means “ten,” as in decahedron, a polygon having ten faces.

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Usage

What does deca- mean? Deca- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “ten.” It is used occasionally in technical and scientific terms.Deca- comes from Greek déka, meaning “ten.” A related Latin-origin form is deci-, from Latin decimus, “tenth.” Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use entry for deci-.Despite the similarity between the two forms, it’s important not to confuse deca-, meaning “ten,” with deci-, which means “tenth.” A decagram is ten grams (10 g), but a decigram is one-tenth of a gram (0.1 g).What are variants of deca-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, deca- becomes dec-, as in decathlon. A related prefix is deka-, which is reserved for the naming of metric units.Want to know more? Check out our Words That Use articles for dec- and deka-.

Etymology

Origin of deca-

< Greek deka-, combining form of déka ten; cognate with Latin decem

Example Sentences

"Of course your legs will hurt - you're running 200 miles. What did you think was going to happen?" says Mauduit, a man whose CV also features winning a Deca Ironman - a triathlon consisting of a 23-mile swim, 1,118-mile bike ride and a 262-mile run.

From BBC

The stake is to be acquired from Viva Wallet's minority shareholders, including the Latsis family office, which holds about 13% of the firm, British fund Hedosophia with about 24% and Deca Investments with about 10%.

From Reuters

She said she would now only rest for a week before the training begins again for a continuous Deca Triathlon in July, which will see her taking on a 24-mile swim, 1,120-mile bike ride and 262-mile run.

From BBC

"We certainly have to look anew at this whole subject of licenses granted by DECA," Ram Ben-Barak, head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, told Israel's Army Radio, referring to the government-run Defence Export Controls Agency.

From Reuters

She’s also involved with DECA, a business organization that helps students develop skills in management, entrepreneurship, marketing and hospitality.

From Washington Times