Greek · prefix
ana-
up; back, again
Forms
- ana-
- an- — Used before a vowel in some Greek compounds.
Origin
Greek ana, ‘up; along’; its deeper ancestry is uncertain.
Note
Direction depends on the compound: upward movement, return, and repetition are all possible.
Words sharing this root
anachronismSomething placed in or belonging to a time other than its proper historical period.anagramA word or phrase made by rearranging all the letters of another, or the act of doing so.analogousSimilar enough in certain respects to be compared.analogueRepresenting information through continuously varying physical quantities rather than digital values.analogueSomething similar to another thing in structure or function.analogyA comparison between different things that helps explain an idea or support reasoning.analysisDetailed examination of something to understand it.analysisThe branch of mathematics studying limits and continuous change.analyticExamining something logically by separating it into parts or relationships.analyticalUsing careful examination and detailed reasoning to understand something.analyzeTo examine something closely to understand its workings.anathemaA formal religious curse or exclusion from a religious community.anathemaSomeone or something regarded as utterly unacceptable.anatomicRelating to the structure of the body.anatomizeTo examine something by separating and studying its parts.anatomyThe internal structure of a body and the study of that structure.aneurysmA bulge caused by weakness in the wall of a blood vessel.anionAn ion with a negative electric charge.anodeAn electrode where conventional current enters a device or oxidation occurs in an electrochemical cell.psychoanalysisA psychological theory and therapy focused on unconscious motives and conflicts.