adiabatic (adj.)
"without transference, impossible (to heat)," 1838, with -ic + Greek adiabatos "not to be passed" (of rivers, etc.), from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + diabatos "to be crossed or passed, fordable," from dia "through" (see dia-) + batos "passable," from bainein "to go, walk, step" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come"). In thermodynamics, of a change in volume without change in heat.
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prefix meaning "not, without," from Greek a-, an- "not" (the "alpha privative"), from PIE root *ne- "not" (source also of English un-).
In words from Greek, such as abysmal, adamant, amethyst; also partly nativized as a prefix of negation (asexual, amoral, agnostic). The ancient alpha privatum, denoting want or absence.
Greek also had an alpha copulativum, a- or ha-, expressing union or likeness, which is the a- expressing "together" in acolyte, acoustic, Adelphi, etc. It is from PIE root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with."
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updated on January 03, 2022
Dictionary entries near adiabatic
adhere
adherence
adherent
adhesion
adhesive
adiabatic
adiaphorous
adieu
adios
adipose
Adirondack