subtract
pronunciation
How to pronounce subtract in British English:
UK [səbˈtrækt]
How to pronounce subtract in American English:
US [səbˈtrækt]
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- Verb:
- make a subtraction
Word Origin
- subtract
- subtract: [16] To subtract something is etymologically to ‘pull it away’. The word comes from subtractus, the past participle of Latin subtrahere ‘pull away’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix sub-, usually ‘under’ but here used in the sense ‘away’, and trahere ‘pull’ (source of English traction, tractor, trait, etc). The strictly mathematical use of the word is a post-Latin development.=> contract, retract, traction, tractor, trait
- subtract (v.)
- 1530s, "withdraw, withhold, take away, deduct," a back-formation from subtraction (q.v.), or else from Latin subtractus, past participle of subtrahere "take away, draw off." Related: Subtracted; subtracting. Mathematical calculation sense is from 1550s. Earlier verb form was subtraien (early 15c. in the mathematical sense), which is directly from the Latin verb. Here he teches þe Craft how þou schalt know, whan þou hast subtrayd, wheþer þou hast wel ydo or no. ["Craft of Numbering," c. 1425]
Antonym
Example
- 1. Subtract parts of the selection to obtain the one below .
- 2. Add the needs and subtract them from the monthly income .
- 3. This year it will subtract from it .
- 4. Sub is the subtract command , and simply subtracts the second argument from the first .
- 5. To find this time subtract 7-8 hours before your alarm time .