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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.

43 / 49
adjective

abundant

uh-BUN-dunt/əˈbʌndənt/

Present in large quantities or more than enough.

Abundant ripe apples weigh down the small branch.

A fruit tree branch carries a very large number of ripe apples, visibly abundant compared with the small area of branch.
Etymology
abLatinaway, off, from
+undLatinrise in waves, surge, or overflow
+antLatindoing or being something

The wave-related root and prefix form the image of overflowing. The participial ending describes something as “overflowing” or “full,” which extends naturally to being present in great quantity.

In context

Alpha Helix3:53
the Romans could count on abundant water from a large river just 5 km to the north, the river Gard. For many peoples and civilizations, this would have been more than enough.
Roman Engineering - Aqueducts

More examples

  • Rainfall is abundant in this coastal region.
  • The archive contains abundant evidence of their cooperation.
  • Food became less abundant as winter continued.

Forms

abundant · more abundant · most abundant

Similar words

plentiful
Similarly means readily available in large amounts.
ample
Means comfortably sufficient without necessarily a very large quantity.