What is the meaning of the prefix AB-, A-, ABS-?

• A. from, away, off
• B. to, toward, near
• C. before
• D. outside

Answer: (A)

These prefixes carry a sense of direction away from something or separation. AB- and ABS- come from the Latin ab-, meaning away from, off, or apart, and English uses them with roots to signal moving away or removal. You can see this in words like abduct (lead away), absent (not present, away from where you are), and abnormal (away from what’s considered normal). The form abs- is just a pronunciation-friendly variant of ab- before certain sounds, as in abstain or absorb, still carrying the idea of moving away or taking away from something. The standalone A- prefix appears in some words to mean “without” or “not,” as in amoral or atypical, which aligns with the same general sense of absence or separation in many uses. So the overall idea these prefixes express is from, away, or off.