des-

1 of 2

prefix

: de- sense 6
—especially before vowels
desoxy

DES

2 of 2

noun

ˌdē-(ˌ)ē-ˈes How to pronounce DES (audio)
: diethylstilbestrol

Word History

Etymology

Prefix

French dés-, from Old French des- — more at de-

First Known Use

Noun

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of des- was in 1970

Browse Nearby Words

Derzhavin
des-
DES
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Des-.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/des-. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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