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DictionaryRoot: ab-
Latin

ab-

away, off, from

Forms

  • ab-
  • abs- — Expanded Latin form, especially before t.
  • a- — Shortened in some Latin compounds.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *apo, ‘away; off.’

Note

The Greek prefix apo- is a relative from the same older source, not a borrowing from Latin.

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noun

absurdity

ub-SER-duh-tee/əbˈsɜːrdəti/

The quality or an instance of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable.

The rain pouring through his colander hat reveals the absurdity of his solution.

An older man uses an upside-down kitchen colander as a rain hat: rain streams through its holes onto his face while a nearby woman stays dry beneath an ordinary umbrella and looks at him in disbelief.
Etymology
abLatinaway, off, from
+surdLatindull, deaf, mute
+ityLatina quality or state

Ab- and surdus formed an adjective meaning “out of tune” or “senseless,” though the prefix may be intensive. The noun ending names that condition: Latin “dissonance” or “incongruity” corresponds to the quality or instance of unreasonableness.

In context

Storytime Haven335:13
He proved to be made of glass and shivered into splinters all over the floor. She woke with a cry of horror—a gasp of relief—a short laugh over the absurdity of her dream
📖 The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery | A Tale of Love & Freedom 💙✨

More examples

  • The comedian exposes the absurdities of office life.
  • He laughed at the sheer absurdity of the demand.
  • The argument collapses under its own absurdity.

Forms

absurdity · absurdities

Similar words

nonsense
Names meaningless or unreasonable content rather than its quality.
folly
Emphasizes poor judgment that may have serious consequences.