ab

a- + -b ‘von … weg, herab von, los, fort, herunter, nieder’;

Werk: [[:{{{Werk}}}|{{{Werk}}}]]

Alternative forms

• ā (not used before a vowel or h)
• abs (Old Latin, exclusively before the pronoun tē)
• af (Old Latin)
• dē ab (Late Latin)

Etymology

Etymology tree

From Proto-Italic *ap, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó (“off, away”). The reconstruction of the Proto-Italic form is somewhat uncertain, as it's not clear when or how the final vowel of the PIE form was lost. The voicing of the final consonant to -b can be interpreted as an example of regular voicing of plosives in word-final position, as in fēced < *fēcet, a sound change that some reconstruct at the common Italic stage. Others explain -bhere as the result of analogical extension from clusters ending in a voiced consonant. The form ap- is attested in composition in Latin aperiō and Umbrian 𐌀𐌐𐌄𐌇𐌕𐌓𐌄 (apehtre).

Cognates

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈab]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈab]

Preposition

ab (+ ablative)

1. (indicating ablation): from, away from, out of
2. (indicating ablation): down from
3. (indicating agency): (source of action or event) by, by means of
4. (indicating instrumentality): (source of action or event) by, by means of, with
5. (indicating association): to, with
6. (indicating location): at, on, in
7. (time) after, since

   Ab urbe conditā.

   From the founding of the City.

Usage notes

Used in conjunction with passive verbs to mark the agent.

• Liber ā discipulō aperītur.

  The book is opened by the student.