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kat·a·bat·ic

(kăt′ə-bătĭk)

adj.

Of or relating to the downward flow of cold dense air: a katabatic wind.

[Greek katabatikos, pertaining to descent, from katabatos, descending : kata-, cata- + batos, going; see g^wā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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katabatic

a polar katabatic wind

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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