ad-

to, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

Forms

ad-
ac- — Used before c in Latin.
af- — Used before f in Latin.
ag- — Used before g in Latin.
al- — Used before l in Latin.
ap- — Used before p in Latin.
ar- — Used before r in Latin.
as- — Used before s in Latin.
at- — Used before t in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ad, ‘to; near.’

Note

Later Latin-based spellings sometimes restored consonants that had disappeared in French.

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verb

abase

uh-BAYS/əˈbeɪs/

To lower someone's dignity or standing.

The supervisor abases the manager by publicly removing his badge of rank.

Office supervisor publicly strips a white male manager's rank badge while others look uncomfortable; man shoulders slump in humiliation, no violence.

Etymology

aLatinto, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

+baseLatinlow or short

Ad- and bassus give the image of bringing someone low. The physical idea of bending or lowering connects to reducing a person’s rank or dignity, treating social standing as a height.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain265:36

it was dangerous to give yourself into my power to abase yourself before me

1800s Psychological Audiobook 📖 Venus in Furs — Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

More examples

She refused to abase herself to win his approval.
Public insults abased the defeated official.
He resented the ritual of abasing himself before his employer.

Forms

abase · abases · abased · abasing

Similar words

humiliate: Emphasizes causing shame rather than lowering standing or dignity.
degrade: Often suggests lasting damage to status or human dignity.