antiaquatic
|an-ti-a-quat-ic|
/ˌæn.ti.əˈkwæt.ɪk/
not of water; against water
Etymology
'antiaquatic' is a modern compound formed from the Greek prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' and the Latin root 'aqua' (via Late Latin 'aquaticus') meaning 'water'.
'aquatic' comes from Latin 'aquaticus' (from 'aqua' meaning 'water'); the productive English prefix 'anti-' derives from Greek 'antí' meaning 'against'. These elements were combined in modern English to form 'antiaquatic'.
Initially the components literally meant 'against water'; in modern usage 'antiaquatic' is used primarily to describe organisms or things that are 'not aquatic' and, less commonly, attitudes or policies that are opposed to water or water-related uses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not aquatic; living in or adapted to land rather than to water.
Many desert beetles are antiaquatic, obtaining moisture from fog rather than standing water.
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Adjective 2
opposed to water or water-related activities; anti-water in attitude or policy (rare, figurative).
The council's antiaquatic stance led to proposals to drain the marsh rather than protect it.
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Last updated: 2025/08/27 12:26