rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: re-
Latin

re-

back, again; restoration or reversal

Forms

  • re-
  • red- — An early Latin form used before vowels and h.

Origin

Its ancestry before Latin is uncertain.

Note

In some old compounds the prefix adds emphasis, while in others its separate contribution has become unclear.

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An overpowering gust defeats a woman's visible effort to stand firm: she leans into the wind with bent knees, but her shoes skid backward and her umbrella turns inside out.
adjective

irresistible

ir-ih-ZIS-tuh-buhl/ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbl/

Too appealing or powerful to resist.

Etymology
irLatinnot; without
+reLatinback, again; restoration or reversal
+sistLatinmake stand; take a stand
+ibleLatinable or suitable to be

Standing firm against something is the original image behind resistance. Irresistible describes what cannot be withstood, whether an overpowering force or an attraction too tempting to refuse.

Full entry

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