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De-

(Science: prefix) a prefix from latin de down, from, away; as in debark, decline, decease, deduct, decamp. In words from the french it is equivalent to latin dis- apart, away; or sometimes to de. Cf. Dis-. It is negative and opposite in derange, deform, destroy, etc. It is intensive in deprave, despoil, declare, desolate, etc.