cata-

prefix (usu. cat- before a vowel or h)
1 down, downwards (catadromous).
2 wrongly, badly (catachresis).
Etymology: Gk kata down

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prefix or cat- or cath-

Etymology: Greek kata-, kat-, kath-, from kata down; akin to Old Welsh cant with, along, Hittite katta under, with, Latin com- with, together — more at co-

1. : down

cation

catabiotic

2. : against

catabaptist

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a prefix meaning "down," "against," "back," occurring originally in loanwords from Greek (cataclysm; catalog; catalepsy); on this model, used in the formation of other compound words (catagenesis; cataphyll).

Also, cat-, cath-, kata-.

[ < Gk kata-, comb. form of katá down, through, against, according to, towards, during]

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cata-,

prefix.

1. down; downward: »

Catadromous = descending rivers to spawn (as eels).

2. against: »

Catapult = a weapon for hurling darts or missiles against a target.

3. wrongly; amiss: »

Catachresis = misuse (of words).

Also, cat-, before vowels and h.

╂[< Greek kata- < katá down, against]

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(also cat-) prefix

1) down; downward

catadromous | cataract

2) wrongly; badly

catachresis | catastrophe

3) completely; thoroughly

catechize

4) against

catapult

•

Origin:

from Greek kata ‘down’

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cata-, cat-, cath-

Gr. κατα-, κατ-, καθ-, a preposition used in comp. with the senses a. down (locally); b. down (of diminution, reduction, consumption, waste), away, entirely, ‘up’; c. implying disparagement or abuse (= mis-); d. inferior, subsidiary; e. down upon, against (as blows fall); f. against and reflected back, hence, answering to, according to, alongside of, each to each; g. intensive, downright, thoroughly, completely; h. hence, like Eng. be-, making a verb transitive. All these senses occur in Eng. words into which cata- enters; most of these are adapted or formed from compounds already made in Greek, others follow or extend Greek analogies. See also kata-.