rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: de-
English

de-

down, away, or reversing an action

Forms

  • de-

Origin

Borrowed from Latin de-, often through French.

Note

English extended its reversing use to newly formed words.

3 / 7
A young adult worker's enthusiasm fades after a supervisor dismissively rejects a carefully made project, slumped shoulders and unfinished model, no text.
verb

demotivate

dee-MOH-tih-vayt/ˌdiːˈməʊtɪveɪt/

To make someone less willing or enthusiastic to act.

Etymology
deEnglishdown, away, or reversing an action
+motivateEnglishto stimulate toward action

Motivate means to stimulate someone toward action; de- reverses that effect. To demotivate people is therefore to weaken or remove the incentive that makes them willing to act.

Full entry

Related word entries