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.

225 / 332
A two-scene sequence shows resentment developing after unfair sharing: a man takes nearly all a small cake while leaving a woman a tiny slice; later, after the meal is cleared and daylight has faded, she still gives him a tight-jawed, angry sideways look and turns away from his friendly approach.
noun

resentment

ri-ZENT-muhnt/rɪˈzentmənt/

Bitter anger at being treated unfairly.

Etymology

Built on feeling, with re- perhaps intensive, the noun names a state of being deeply affected. Its focus narrowed to a deep sense of injury, connecting it to lasting anger at a perceived wrong.

Full entry

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