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u-

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "u"

Languages (30)

Basque • Chichewa • Chuukese • Czech • Danish • Gabadi • Hawaiian • Isoko • Japanese • Kamba • Kambera • Northern Ndebele • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Polish • Phuthi • Polish • Slovene • Southern Ndebele • Swahili • Swazi • Taos • Tlingit • Tumbuka • Xhosa • Yao • Ye'kwana • Yoruba • Zulu

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Translingual

Etymology

Typographical substitution for μ.

Prefix

u-

(metrology, informal, proscribed) alternative form of μ-; abbreviation of micro-.

Usage notes

This nonstandard variant is widely used by writers due to its ease of typing on a keyboard.

Derived terms

Translingual terms prefixed with u-

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Basque

Prefix

u-

combining form of ur (“water”)

Chichewa

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

2nd person singular subject concord. Translates as thou, you singular or informal.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-

Prefix

u-

Class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ́-

Prefix

u-

Class 14 subject concord.

Etymology 4

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

Etymology 5

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *jʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

Class 1 pronominal concord.

Derived terms

wa

Chuukese

Prefix

u-

(subject marker for tense modifying pronouns) I

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech u-, from Proto-Slavic *u-. Doublet of ú-.

Prefix

u-

(away) from
‎u- + ‎stoupit (“step”) → ‎ustoupit (“yield”)
(inchoative)
(telicity)
‎u- + ‎vidět (“see”) → ‎uvidět (“catch sight out of”)
added to mean a bit
‎u- + ‎lít (“pour”) → ‎ulít (“pour off a little”)
(u- + imperfective base + se) intensification: until exhaustion, expressing final stage of a process. (collocates with k smrti (“to death”))
‎u- + ‎kašlat (“have a cough”) → ‎ukašlat se (“die of coughing”)

‎u- + ‎smát se (“laugh”) → ‎usmát se (“die of laughing”)

‎u- + ‎trápit se (“grieve”) → ‎utrápit se (“die of grief”)
(on perfective verbs) unintentionally, inadvertently, by mistake
‎u- + ‎řeknout (“say once”) → ‎uřeknout (“misspeak, say unintentionally once”)
(root modality) [i.e., deontic + dynamic modality: ability, obligation, permission, readiness]
‎u- + ‎zvednout (“lift”) → ‎uzvednout (“be able to lift”)

‎u- + ‎nést (“carry”) → ‎unést (“be able to carry”)
to gain by activity
‎u- + ‎šetřit (“to save”) → ‎ušetřit (“to save up”)

ušetřit peníze. ― to save money.

Derived terms

Czech terms prefixed with u-

Further reading

u-/ú- in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

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Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse ú-, ó-, from Proto-Germanic *un-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, a prefix use of the particle *né (“not”). Doublet of a-.

Prefix

u-

in-, un-, non-; (prefix meaning not, reversing the meaning)

Synonyms

a-
ikke-

Derived terms

Danish terms prefixed with u-

uhensigtsmæssig

uidentificerbar

usammenhængende

usammenlignelig

utilbøjelighed

utilfredsstillende

utilstrækkelig

References

“u-” in Den Danske Ordbog

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Gabadi

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/

Prefix

u-

marks the second-person plural subject on a verb
‎u- + ‎dibaia (“to spear”) → ‎udibaia (“you (pl.) speared it”)

Category Gabadi terms prefixed with u- not found

References

Oa, Morea and Ma`oni Paul. (2014-02-24). Tentative Grammar Description for the Gabadi Language. [working paper, draft created november 2013; editor: Eileen Gasaway]. Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: SIL International. Available online: . For the prefix u-, see page 23, section "5.1.1 subject marking".

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Hawaiian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Prefix

u-

dual and plural prefix added to certain verbs
‎u- + ‎haele → ‎uhaele

‎u- + ‎lawaiʻa (“to fish”) → ‎ulawaiʻa (“to fish (of many person or often)”)

Further reading

u- in Combined Hawaiian Dictionary, at trussel2.com.

Isoko

Prefix

u-

Used to form physical nouns from verbs.

See also

ụ- (“prefix for forms quanifiable nouns from verbs”).

Japanese

Romanization

u-

Rōmaji transcription of う

Kamba

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u-

you singular (used for conjugating verbs to the subjective or nominative case of the personal pronoun)

Kambera

Pronoun

u-

alternative form of mu-

See also

More information nominative, genitive ...

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Prefix

u-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse ú-, ó-, from Proto-Germanic *un-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, a prefix use of the particle *né (“not”). Doublet of a-.

Prefix

u-

un-, (in certain cases) im-
an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"

Derived terms

Norwegian Bokmål terms prefixed with u-

uforholdsmessig

ugjennomtrengelig

References

“u-” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse ú- or ó-, English un-, German un-. With the intensifying function probably influenced by ov-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʉː/

Prefix

u-

un- (not)
flaks → uflaks

luck → bad luck
used to create an undesired version of the following noun
vêr → uvêr
weather → severe weather

tid → utid
time → inconvenient time
used to strengthen/intensify the following noun
tal → utal
number → huge number
an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk terms prefixed with u-

uforholdsmessig

References

“u-” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Polish u-

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *u-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /u/

IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /u/

Prefix

u-

perfective prefix
‎u- + ‎wiązać → ‎uwiązać

Derived terms

Old Polish terms prefixed with u-

Phuthi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Polish u-

Polish u-

Inherited from Old Polish u-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -u
Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
Homophones: ó, u, -u, -u-

Prefix

u-

appears in front of some verbs meaning: to make something behave in a certain way, en-, be-, make
Synonym: o-

‎u- + ‎łatwy → ‎ułatwiać
perfective prefix
‎u- + ‎bóść → ‎ubóść
added to mean "a bit"
‎u- + ‎lać → ‎ulać
added to mean away
‎u- + ‎iść → ‎ujść
(rare) added to mean successfully, often without an imperfective counterpart
‎u- + ‎ciągnąć → ‎uciągnąć

‎u- + ‎rzucić → ‎urzucić

Derived terms

Polish terms prefixed with u-

ubezwłasnowolnić

ucharakteryzować

ujednoznacznić

Further reading

u- in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Slovene

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *u-. Prefixed form of the preposition u.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u-/

Prefix

u-

Forms perfective verbs with the following meanings:
1. (no change in meaning)
  ‎u- + ‎branīti (“to defend”) → ‎ubranīti (“to defend”)
2. away
  ‎u- + ‎téči (“to run”) → ‎utéči (“to run away, escape”)
3. (reflexive) to make a mistake while
  ‎u- + ‎štẹ́ti (“to count”) → ‎uštẹ́ti (“to miscount”)

Derived terms

Slovene terms prefixed with u-

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Swahili

More information Other scripts, Ajami ...

Alternative forms

w- (before a vowel)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *dʊ̀- and Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (plural n- or ma-)

u class_(XI) noun prefix, denoting natural objects, extensions, abstract qualities, or collections of small things.
ulimi mrefu ― a long tongue
1. -ness, -ity
  ‎u- + ‎-chafu (“dirty”) → ‎uchafu (“dirtiness”)
  
  ‎u- + ‎mtoto (“child”) → ‎utoto (“childhood”)
  
  ‎u- + ‎binafsi (“self”) → ‎ubinafsi (“individualism”)
2. forms names of countries
  ‎u- + ‎French France (“France”) → ‎Ufaransa (“France”)

Usage notes

Swahili merged the Bantu classes XI and XIV into one u class_(XI), having its adjective agreement in m class_(III).

Derived terms

Swahili terms prefixed with u-

See also

Appendix:Swahili noun classes

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

you, 2nd person singular subject concord
Antonym: hu-

See also

More information person, independent ...

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́- and Proto-Bantu *dʊ́-.

Prefix

u-

it, m class_(III)/u class_(XI) subject concord
Antonym: hau-
- 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎, stanza 13:
  هُنُ اُلِمِغُ بَحَرِ تِيْسِ ، اُنَ مَتُبَوِ نَمَغِ مَاسِ،
  Hunu ulimwengu baḥari tesi, una matumbawe na-mangi masi,
  This world is a troubled sea, it has corals and much wickedness;
verb-initial form of -u- (“it, m class_(III)/u class_(XI) object concord”)

See also

More information class, subject concord ...

For a full table including first and second person,
see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns

Swazi

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Taos

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔu/

Prefix

u-

(transitive) Third person singular subject + third person duoplural object.

Tlingit

Prefix

u-

Marks the irrealis mood

Tumbuka

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

2nd person singular subject concord. Translates as thou or you (singular or informal).

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-

alternative of wu-

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Prefix

u-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Yao

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-

Prefix

u-

2nd person singular subject concord.

References

Alexander Hetherwick, Rev. A Handbook of the Yao Language, 1902

Ye'kwana

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [u-]

Prefix

u-

Allomorph of y- (first-person prefix) used for stems that begin with two consonants and have a first vowel u.

Inflection

Ye'kwana personal markers

More information pronoun, noun possessor/ series II verb argument ...

More information series I verb argument: transitive agent and transitive patient, first person > second person ...

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

ì-

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ù/

Prefix

ù-

(CY, SEY) abstract or instrument nominalizing prefix

Usage notes

Forms both abstract and concrete nouns:

ù + gwẹ̀ "to swim" → ùgwẹ̀ "swimming"
ù + gbálẹ̀ "to sweep floor" → ùgbálẹ̀ "broom"

Derived terms

Yoruba terms prefixed with u- (nominalizing prefix)

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

i-

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ū/

Prefix

u-

(CY, SEY) non-gerundive nominalizing prefix
‎u- + ‎kú (“to die”) → ‎ukú (“death”)

Derived terms

Yoruba terms prefixed with u-

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-. This noun class is marked simply with the class 1 augment and a null prefix.

Prefix

ú-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-.

Prefix

ú- (medial ká-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

From Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-.

Prefix

ú- (medial wú-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Contracted from earlier úlu-, from Proto-Bantu *dʊ́-dʊ̀-.

Prefix

û-

Class 11 noun prefix.

References

C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “u-”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “u-”

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