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de·fer²

(dĭ-fûr)

v. de·ferred, de·fer·ring, de·fers

v.intr.

To submit to the wish or decision of another, as in recognition of authority. See Synonyms at yield.

v.tr.

To commit or entrust to another: The principal deferred the decision to the school board.

[Middle English deferen, from Old French deferer, from Latin dēferre, to carry away, refer to : dē-, de- + ferre, to carry; see bher-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

de·ferrer n.

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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