A Look up A at Dictionary.com
a (1) Look up a at Dictionary.com

a (2) Look up a at Dictionary.com
a capella Look up a capella at Dictionary.com
1876, earlier alla capella (1847), from Italian, "in the style of Church music, in the manner of the chapel," literally "according to the chapel," from cappella "chapel" (see chapel). Originally in reference to older church music (pre-1600) which was written for unaccompanied voices; applied 20c. to unaccompanied vocal music generally. Italian a is from Latin ad "to, according to" (see ad-); alla is a la "to the."
a deux Look up a deux at Dictionary.com
French, à deux, literally "for two," from à, from Latin ad (see ad-) + deux (see deuce). By 1876 as a French term in English.
a la Look up a la at Dictionary.com
from French à la, literally "to the," hence "in the manner of, according to," from à, from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + la, fem. of definite article le "the," from Latin ille (fem. illa). Attested in English in French terms from fashion or cookery since late 16c.; since c. 1800 used in native formations with English words or names.
a la carte Look up a la carte at Dictionary.com
"ordered by separate items" (itemized on a bill); distinguished from a table d'hôte, indicating a meal served at a fixed, inclusive price; 1826, from French à la carte, literally "by the card" (see a la + card (n.1)).
a posteriori Look up a posteriori at Dictionary.com
17c., in reference to reasoning from a consequent to its antecedent, from an effect to its cause; Latin, literally "from what comes after;" from a, usual form of ab "off, of, away from" before consonants (see ab-) + posteriori, neuter ablative of posterius, comparative of posterus "after, subsequent," from post "after" (see post-). Opposed to a priori. In modern use (from c. 1830, based on Kant) roughly equivalent to "from experience."
a priori Look up a priori at Dictionary.com
1710, "from cause to effect," a Latin term in logic from c. 1300, in reference to reasoning from antecedent to consequent, based on causes and first principles, literally "from what comes first," from priori, ablative of prior "first" (see prior (adj.)). Opposed to a posteriori. Since c. 1840, based on Kant, used more loosely for "cognitions which, though they may come to us in experience, have their origin in the nature of the mind, and are independent of experience" [Century Dictionary]. Related: Apriorist; apriorism; aprioristic.

The a is the usual form of Latin ab "off, of, away from" before consonants (see ab-). It is also the source of the à in Thomas à Kempis.
A&P Look up A&P at Dictionary.com
a- (2) Look up a- at Dictionary.com
prefix meaning "away," from Latin a, usual form of Latin ab "off, of, away from" before consonants (see ab-). As in avert, avocation.
a- (3) Look up a- at Dictionary.com
prefix meaning "not," from Greek a-, an- "not" (the "alpha privative"), from PIE root *ne "not" (source also of Latin nil, English un- (q.v.)). In words from Greek, such as abyssmal, adamant, amethyst; also partly nativized as a prefix of negation (asexual, amoral, agnostic).
a- (1) Look up a- at Dictionary.com
prefix or inseparable particle, a relic of various Germanic and Latin elements.

In words derived from Old English, it commonly represents Old English an "on" (see on (prep.)), as in alive, above, asleep, aback, abroad, afoot, ashore, ahead, abed, aside, apart, etc., forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns, with the notion "in, at; engaged in." In this use it is identical to a (2).

It also can represent Middle English of (prep.) "off, from," as in anew, afresh, akin, abreast. Or it can be a reduced form of the Old English past participle prefix ge-, as in aware.

Or it can be the Old English intensive a-, originally ar- (cognate with German er- and probably implying originally "motion away from"), as in abide, arise, awake, ashamed, marking a verb as momentary, a single event. Such words sometimes were refashioned in early modern English as though the prefix were Latin (accursed, allay, affright are examples).

In words from Romanic languages, often it represents reduced forms of Latin ad- "to, at" (see ad-), or ab- "from, away, off" (see ab-); both of which by about 7c. had been reduced to a- in the ancestor of Old French. In a few cases it represents Latin ex-.
[I]t naturally happened that all these a- prefixes were at length confusedly lumped together in idea, and the resultant a- looked upon as vaguely intensive, rhetorical, euphonic, or even archaic, and wholly otiose. [OED]
A-1 Look up A-1 at Dictionary.com
also A1, A-one, "first-rate," 1837 (in Dickens); a figurative use from Lloyd's of London marine insurance company's system for selective rating of merchant vessels ("Register of British and Foreign Shipping"), where it is the designation for ships in first-class condition. The letter refers to the condition of the hull of the ship itself, and the number rating to the equipment. Also used in equivalent ratings in U.S., where colloquially it is sometimes expanded to A No. 1.
A-frame Look up A-frame at Dictionary.com
type of framework shaped like the capital letter "A," 1909; as a type of building construction in this shape from 1932.
A-line (adj.) Look up A-line at Dictionary.com
descriptive of a dress or skirt flared in shape of a capital letter "A," 1955, in reference to the creations of French fashion designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
A-list (adj.) Look up A-list at Dictionary.com
in celebrity sense, 1984, from A in the sense of "first, best" (as in A-1) + list (n.1).
A-OK Look up A-OK at Dictionary.com
A.A. Look up A.A. at Dictionary.com
also AA, abbreviation of Alcoholics Anonymous, attested by 1941, American English. The group name was the title of a book published in 1938 by the founder, Bill W. From 1914 as an abbreviation of anti-aircraft guns.
A.A.A. Look up A.A.A. at Dictionary.com
A.B. Look up A.B. at Dictionary.com
affixed to a name, abbreviation of Modern Latin Artium Baccalaureus "Bachelor of Arts" (see bachelor), 1773, American English. British English preferred B.A.. A.B. was used in Britain to mean able-bodied on seamen's papers.
A.D. Look up A.D. at Dictionary.com
1570s, an abbreviation of Latin Anno Domini "Year of the Lord." This system of counting years was put forth by Dionysius Exiguus in 527 or 533 C.E., but used at first only for Church business. Introduced in Italy in 7c., France (partially) in 8c. In England, first found in a charter of 680 C.E. Ordained for all ecclesiastical documents in England by the Council of Chelsea, July 27, 816.

The resistance to it might have come in part because Dionysius chose 754 A.U.C. as the birth year of Jesus, while many early Christians would have thought it was 750 A.U.C. (See John J. Bond, "Handy-Book of Rules and Tables for Verifying Dates With the Christian Era," 4th ed., London: George Bell & Sons, 1889.) There is a use of simple a for anno domini in an English document from c. 1400; A.C., for Anno Christi, also was common 17c.
A.H. Look up A.H. at Dictionary.com
in Islamic calendrical reckoning, 1788, abbreviation of Latin Anno Hegirae, "Year of the Hegira, which was in 622 C.E.
a.k.a. Look up a.k.a. at Dictionary.com
also a k a, aka, initialism (acronym) for also known as; attested in legal documents from at least 1936.
a.m. Look up a.m. at Dictionary.com
also a.m., 1762 in reference to hours, an abbreviation of Latin ante meridiem "before noon" (q.v.). Synonymous with "morning" by 1776. AM as a type of radio wave broadcast, 1921, abbreviation of amplitude modulation (see amplitude). Affixed to a name, an abbreviation of artium magister "Master of Arts," an abbreviation preferable in a purely Latin idiom; British English prefered M.A. In some old chronologies, a.m. is anno mundi "year of the world."
A.P.R. Look up A.P.R. at Dictionary.com
also APR, abbreviation of annual percentage rate, attested from 1979, American English.
a.s.a.p. Look up a.s.a.p. at Dictionary.com
also asap, adverbial phrase pronounced either as a word (acronym) or as four letters (initialism), 1955, from initial letters of phrase as soon as possible; originally U.S. Army jargon.
A.U.C. Look up A.U.C. at Dictionary.com
see ab urbe condita.
A.V. Look up A.V. at Dictionary.com
abbreviation of Authorized Version (of the English Bible, 1611) attested from 1868.
aardvark (n.) Look up aardvark at Dictionary.com
also aard-vark, South African groundhog, 1833, from Afrikaans Dutch aardvark, literally "earth-pig" (it burrows), from aard "earth," from Proto-Germanic *ertho- (see earth) + vark "pig," which is from Proto-Germanic *farhaz- (source also of Old High German farah, German Ferkel "young pig, sucking pig," a diminutive form; Old English fearh; see farrow (n.)).
aardwolf (n.) Look up aardwolf at Dictionary.com
also aard-wolf, 1833, from Afrikaans Dutch aardwolf, literally "earth-wolf," from aard "earth" (see earth) + wolf "wolf" (see wolf (n.)).
Aaron Look up Aaron at Dictionary.com
masc. proper name, in the Old Testament the brother of Moses, from Hebrew Aharon, which is said to be probably of Egyptian origin. The Arabic form is Harun. Related: Aaronic. Aaron's beard as a popular name for various plants (including St. John's wort and a kind of dwarf evergreen) deemed to look hairy in some way is from 1540s. Aaron's rod is from 1834 in botany, 1849 in ornamentation; the reference is biblical (Exodus vii.19, etc.).
ab initio Look up ab initio at Dictionary.com
c. 1600, Latin, literally "from the beginning," from ab "from" (see ab-) + ablative of initium "entrance, beginning," which is from or related to the verb inire "to go into, enter upon, begin" (see initial).
ab ovo Look up ab ovo at Dictionary.com
"from the beginning," Latin, literally "from the egg," from ab "from" (see ab) + ablative of ovum "egg" (see ovum). The expression is said to refer to the Roman custom of beginning the meal with eggs, as also in the expression ab ovo usque ad mala, "from the egg to the apples" (Horace), hence "from the beginning to the end" (compare early 20c. soup to nuts).
ab urbe condita Look up ab urbe condita at Dictionary.com
with year-dates, an occasional Roman method of identifying a given year by reference to the time passed since founding of the city, which in 1c. B.C.E. was calculated to have taken place in what we would call 753 B.C.E. Literally "from the city founded;" the elements are ab "from" (see ab-) + ablative of urbs "city" (see urban) + fem. past participle of condere "put together, store," from assimilated form of com- "together" (see com-) + -dere "put," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, place" (source also of English do; see factitious).
ab- Look up ab- at Dictionary.com
word-forming element meaning "away, from, from off, down," denoting disjunction, separation, departure; from Latin ab-, ab (prep.) "off, away from" in reference to space or distance, also of time, from PIE root *apo- "off, away" (also the source of Greek apo "away from, from," Sanskrit apa "away from," Gothic af, English of, off; see apo-).

The Latin word also denoted "agency by; source, origin; relation to, in consequence of." Since classical times usually reduced to a- before -m-, -p-, or -v-; sometimes abs- before -c- or -t-.
aba (n.) Look up aba at Dictionary.com
outer garment of coarse, woolen stuff, of a type worn in Arabia and Syria, 1811, from Arabic. Also of the cloth it is made from (often goat or camel hair).
aback (adv.) Look up aback at Dictionary.com
c. 1200, a contraction of Old English on bæc "backward, behind, at or on the back;" see see a- (1) + back (n.). Now surviving mainly in taken aback, originally a nautical expression in reference to a vessel's square sails when a sudden change of wind flattens them back against the masts and stops the forward motion (1754). The figurative sense from this, "suddenly or unexpectedly checked or disappointed," is by 1840.
abacus (n.) Look up abacus at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "sand table for drawing, calculating, etc.," also "art of calculating with an abacus," from Latin abacus, from Greek abax (genitive abakos) "counting table, board for drawing," of uncertain etymology. It is said to be from a Semitic source, Phoenician or Hebrew abaq "sand strewn on a surface for writing," literally "dust," from the Semitic root a-b-q "to fly off," but Beekes and others find this "semantically weak."

Originally a drawing board covered with dust or sand on which mathematical equations or calculations could be traced and erased. In reference to the other type of abacus, a counting frame with beads or balls strung on wires or rods, it is attested from 17c. or later in English. Both types were known in antiquity across Eurasia. Related: Abacist (late 14c.)
Abaddon Look up Abaddon at Dictionary.com
late 14c., used in Revelations ix.11 of "the angel of the bottomless pit," and by Milton of the pit itself, from Hebrew Abhaddon, literally "destruction," from abhadh "he perished." The Greek form was Apollyon.
abaft (adv.) Look up abaft at Dictionary.com
"in or further toward the back part (of a ship)," as opposed to forward, 1590s, from Middle English on baft (late 13c.) "back, behind, to the rear," from Old English on bæftan. For first element, see a- (1). The second component is itself a compound of be "by" (see by) and æftan "aft" (see aft). The word has been saved by the sailors (the stern being the "after" part of a vessel), the rest of the language having left it in Middle English.
abalienate (v.) Look up abalienate at Dictionary.com
in civil law, "transfer title of ownership to another," 1550s, from Latin abalienatus, past participle of abalienare "to remove, separate, alienate, make formal transfer of," literally "to convey away," from ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + alienare "to separate" (see alienate). Related: Abalienated; abalienating.
abalienation (n.) Look up abalienation at Dictionary.com
"act of transferring title of ownership," 1650s, from Latin abalienationem (nominative abalienatio), in law, "transfer of property, sale," noun of action from past participle stem of abalienare "to separate, transfer the ownership of" (see abalienate).
abalone (n.) Look up abalone at Dictionary.com
abandon (v.) Look up abandon at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "to give up (something) absolutely, relinquish control, give over utterly;" also reflexively, "surrender (oneself), yield (oneself) utterly" (to religion, fornication, etc.), from Old French abandoner "surrender, release; give freely, permit," also reflexive, "devote (oneself)" (12c.).

Meaning "to leave, desert, forsake (someone or something) in need" is from late 15c. (Etymologically, the word carries a sense of "put (something) under someone else's control.") Earliest appearance of the word in English is as an adverb (mid-13c.) with the sense "under (one's) control," hence also "unrestricted." Related: Abandoned; abandoning.
abandon (n.) Look up abandon at Dictionary.com
"a letting loose, freedom from self-restraint, surrender to natural impulses," by 1822 as a French word in English (it remained in italics or quotation marks through much of the 19c.; the naturalized abandonment in this sense was attempted from 1834), from a sense in French abandon "abandonment; permission" (12c.), from abandonner (see abandon (v.)).

The noun was borrowed earlier (c. 1400) from Old French in a sense "(someone's) control;" and compare Middle English adverbial phrase at abandon, i.e. "recklessly," attested from late 14c. In Old French, the past participle adjective abandoné came to mean "zealous, eager, unreserved."
abandoned (adj.) Look up abandoned at Dictionary.com
"self-devoted" to some practice or purpose (usually evil), late 14c., past participle adjective from abandon (v.) in the reflexive sense. Hence, in a general way, "shamelessly wicked" (1690s). Meaning "deserted, forsaken" is from late 15c.
abandonment (n.) Look up abandonment at Dictionary.com
1610s, "action of relinquishing to another," from French abandonnement (Old French abandonement), from abandonner "to give up" (see abandon (v.)). Meaning "a deserting, forsaking" (of one's family, principles, etc.) is by 1788; from 1839 as "condition of being forsaken." In law, the relinquishing of a title, privilege, or claim. In music, Italian abbandonatamente is the instruction to play so as to make the time subordinate to the feeling.
abase (v.) Look up abase at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "reduce in rank, etc.," from Old French abaissier "diminish, make lower in value or status; lower oneself" (12c.), literally "bend, lean down," from Vulgar Latin *ad bassiare "bring lower," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + Late Latin bassus "low, short" (see base (adj.)).

The form in English was altered 16c. by influence of base (adj.), making the word an exception to the rule that Old French verbs with stem -iss- enter English as -ish (comprehension might have played a role; earlier forms of abase often are identical with those of abash). Literal sense of "lower, depress" (late 15c.) is archaic or obsolete. Related: Abased; abasing.