Standard Lemma guide

deca-

prefix · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɛkə-/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

prefix

Meaning 1

Ten.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • deca- + -gon → decagon

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deci-

Antonyms: none provided

2

prefix

Meaning 2

In the metric system, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10. Symbol: da

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥ Proto-Hellenic *dékə Ancient Greek δέκᾰ (dékă) Ancient Greek -ᾰ́ς (-ắs) Ancient Greek δεκάς (dekás)der. Late Latin decasder. French déca-bor. English deca- Borrowed from French déca-, from Late Latin decas (“(set of) ten”), from Ancient Greek δεκάς (dekás), from δέκα (déka, “ten”).

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: дэка- (deka-) — ten
  • Bulgarian: дека- (deka-) — ten
  • Czech: deseti- — ten
  • Dutch: deca- — ten
  • Finnish: deka- — ten
  • French: déca- — ten
  • Galician: deca- — ten
  • German: deka- — ten
  • Greek: δεκα- (deka-) — ten
  • Hindi: दश- (daś) — ten
  • Indonesian: dasa- — ten
  • Indonesian: deka- — ten
  • Polish: deka- — ten
  • Portuguese: deca- — ten
  • Russian: дека- (deka-) — ten
  • Spanish: deca- — ten
  • Thai: ทศ- (tót-sà) — ten
  • Belarusian: дэка- (deka-) — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Bulgarian: дека- (deka-) — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Czech: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Dutch: deca- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Finnish: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • French: déca- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Galician: deca- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • German: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Greek: δεκα- (deka-) — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Hungarian: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Indonesian: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Malay: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Polish: deka- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Portuguese: deca- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Russian: дека- (deka-) — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Spanish: deca- — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Thai: เดคา- (dee-kaa) — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Vietnamese: đê-ca — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10
  • Vietnamese: đề-ca — used to multiply the unit it is attached to by 10