dia-

¹

1. a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek (diabetes; dialect ) and used, in the formation of compound words, to mean “passing through” (diathermy ), “thoroughly,” “completely” (diagnosis ), “going apart” (dialysis ), and “opposed in moment” (diamagnetism ).

dia.

²

abbreviation

1. diameter.

dia-

prefix

1. through, throughout, or during

   diachronic

2. across

   diactinic

3. apart

   diacritic

4. (in botany) at right angles

   diatropism

5. in opposite or different directions

   diamagnetism

dia–

1. A prefix meaning “through” or “across,” as in diameter, the length of a line going through a circle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dia-¹

< Greek, combining form representing diá (preposition) through, between, across, by, of, akin to dýo two and di- di- ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of dia-¹

from Greek dia through, between, across, by

Example Sentences

The DIA is part of the Pentagon and specialises in military intelligence to support operations.

From BBC

The band has also been building its annual Dia de Los Deftones festival.

From Los Angeles Times

You’ve advocated for supported reforestation, have played shows in support of environmentalist causes, and even have a community space in Mexico City called “Día al Día.”

From Los Angeles Times

The president said journalists were “scum” for writing about the DIA assessment—i.e., reporting on the government’s own evaluation of how it did—while Hegseth, befitting his background as a Fox News himbo hype man, gave a press conference in which he called the bombing “the most complex and successful military operation in history.”

From Slate

Therefore, when someone leaked the DIA report that the core elements inside Fordo might not have been destroyed and that Iran might repair the damage in a matter of weeks, it was only natural for journalists to publish what seemed to be a corrective to the president’s blithe certainty.

From Slate