decumbent

[prettygoodword]

decumbent - adj., lying down, reclining.


There seems to be a distinction being made between this and recumbent, but exactly what eludes me. Perhaps that of being prone and on one's back? Either way, from Latin, from de- + cumbere, to lie.

---L.

Comments

[sophysduckling.livejournal.com]

In Latin, de = down and re = again or back. There's no real difference in English...I guess that, when the two words were being invented, one inventor picked re and the other picked de to describe what they wanted, and one just became more common.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Except that Latin had both words too. It's an odd case all around.

---L.