repel

/ɹɪˈpel/rih-PEL

/ɹɪˈpɛl/rih-PEL

Meaningto drive back

Common meaning: to drive back or keep away

reagain; back
pelto drive, pushLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1326 · scan

‘again’ + ‘to drive, push’ → repel

Journey through time

Latinpellō, pepulī, pulsum‘to drive, push’
Englishrepel‘to drive back or keep away’ · today

re- also in: react rebel relax reply recant

pel also in: expel pulse compel propel impulse

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin pellō ‘to drive, push’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry pellō, p. 1326 · dictionary scan

Roots

pellō, pepulī, pulsum Latin “to drive, push”

Related words

compel compulsory expel impulse propel pulse repulsive

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