Ur
[ur, oo r]
- an ancient Sumerian city on the Euphrates, in S Iraq: extensive excavations, especially of royal tombs.
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ur-1
- variant of uro-1: uranalysis.
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ur-2
- variant of uro-2 before a vowel: urite.
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ur-3
- a combining form meaning “earliest, original,” used in words denoting the primal stage of a historical or cultural entity or phenomenon: ur-civilization; urtext.
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Origin of ur-3
< German ur-, Middle High German, Old High German; cognate with Old English or-
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for ur
Contemporary Examples
God is said to have summoned Abraham from Ur, now in Southern Iraq.
Earlier in the day he had posted a photo of himself showing off his abs with the note “Ur turn.”
As one wrote to an external trader, “Duuuude… whats up with ur guys 34.5 3m fix…tell him to get it up!!”
Think of it as the Ur moment that led us to a world of Baby Bjorn baby carriers and Happiest Baby on the Block DVDs.
'What to Expect When You’re Expecting': The Movie and the Book’s Heidi MurkoffNicole LaPorte
May 18, 2012
In pop music, “Ur So Gay,” to quote a Katy Perry song, is as big an insult as you can get.
Historical Examples
"I'll be in town a week ur two," said the old man, at parting.
The Mystery of Murray DavenportRobert Neilson Stephens
Thot's phwat we will, ur we'll turrun th' ould mountain over!
Frank Merriwell Down SouthBurt L. Standish
Ur, as we have seen, was the time-honored seat of the Moon-god.
ChaldeaZnade A. Ragozin
Bingani-sar-ali was the son of Naram-Sin, but we do not yet Ur dynasty.
D'ye figger the parson's goin' to preach on swearin' ur gunpowder?
A Voice in the WildernessGrace Livingston Hill
Ur
- an ancient city of Sumer located on a former channel of the Euphrates
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UR
- you are
- your
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ur-
Ur-
- original, primitiveUrsprache
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Word Origin
German
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
Word Origin and History for ur
ur-
prefix meaning "original, earliest, primitive," from German; at first only in words borrowed from German (cf. ursprache "hypothetical primitive language"); since mid-20c. a living prefix in English. Cf. also Urschleim under protoplasm and Urquell under Pilsner.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
ur-
- Variant ofuro-
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.