Definitions of de

1. A moving down or from; separation or taking away: de often expresses a negative, and sometimes only augments the sense: de has the force of dis, asunder, as in derange, depart.

2. 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.

3. Latin prefix signifying down or away from. It sometimes negatives and sometimes intensifles the sense. It has often the force of dis in words through the French.