deters
|de/ters|
🇺🇸
/dɪˈtɝ/
🇬🇧
/dɪˈtɜː/
(deter)
discourage or prevent
Etymology
'deter' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'deterrēre', where 'de-' meant 'away/completely' and 'terrēre' meant 'to frighten'.
'deter' changed from Latin 'deterrēre' and entered English (via learned borrowings from Latin, attested from the 16th century onward) as the modern verb 'deter'.
Initially, it meant 'to frighten away' in a literal sense, but over time it evolved into the broader sense 'to discourage or prevent' (by fear, doubt, or other disincentives).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
third person singular present tense of 'deter': to discourage or prevent someone from doing something, especially by making them fearful of the consequences or by creating disincentives
A strict penalty deters many people from committing that crime.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/11 05:09