Greek · prefix
kata-
down; against; thoroughly
Forms
- kata-
- cata- — Latinized spelling borrowed into English.
- cat- — Used before a vowel without an initial h sound.
- cath- — Used before a vowel that began with an h sound in Greek.
Origin
Greek kata, ‘down; along; against’; its deeper ancestry is uncertain.
Note
Downward movement could imply carrying an action to completion.
Words sharing this root
cataclysmA sudden, violent disaster or upheaval causing great change.catalepsyA trance-like state with rigid posture and reduced responsiveness.catalepticRelating to or affected by a trance-like state with rigid muscles and reduced responsiveness.catalogAn organized list or collection of items, or the act of listing them.catalyticCausing or speeding up a process or change.catapultTo launch something forcefully through the air.catarrhA buildup of mucus in the nose or throat caused by inflammation.catastropheA disaster or failure causing great harm or loss.catatoniaA condition that severely disrupts movement and responsiveness.catechismA set of religious or other teachings presented as questions and answers.categoricalStated firmly and without exceptions or conditions.categoryA group of things with shared qualities.cathedralThe main church of a bishop's district.catheterA tube inserted into the body to remove or deliver fluids.cathodeAn electrode through which conventional electric current leaves a device.catholicWide-ranging and inclusive in tastes or interests.CatholicBelonging to the universal Christian church.