View Full Version : emasculate
ddubois
12-07-2005, 12:26 AM
e·mas·cu·late
tr.v. e·mas·cu·lat·ed, e·mas·cu·lat·ing, e·mas·cu·lates
1. To castrate.
2. To deprive of strength or vigor; weaken.
Why isn't this word "demasculate"? Isn't the e- prefix related to the en- prefix, which usually means to make moreso?
miajag81
12-07-2005, 12:28 AM
"eviscerate" means to remove the viscera from, so i guess not.
rusellmj
12-07-2005, 12:31 AM
I thought this was gonna be about how your GF asked you to hold her purse.
e is for ex
as in used to be a man
ddubois
12-07-2005, 12:39 AM
Well, en- and em- (not e- as I originally posted, my bad) usually make adjectives into verbs. I don't think ex- has that attribute.
[ QUOTE ]
Well, en- and em- (not e- as I originally posted, my bad) usually make adjectives into verbs. I don't think ex- has that attribute.
[/ QUOTE ]
emancipate, emerge, emigrate, emit
these are all derived from ex- (out), not en- (in)
English is full of exceptions. That's the only explanation I can provide.
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