subtrahere

Subtrahere is a Latin verb meaning to pull away, withdraw, or subtract. It is formed from the prefix sub- meaning from under or away, and the verb trahere meaning to pull or draw, and it is used in mathematical, rhetorical, and general contexts to denote subtraction or removal. The verb belongs to the third conjugation.

Principal parts and basic conjugation: The standard principal parts are subtrahere, subtraho, subtraxi, subtractum. The present active indicative forms are subtraho, subtrahis, subtrahit, subtrahimus, subtrahitis, subtrahunt. The imperfect is subtrahēbam, subtrahēbās, subtrahēbat, subtrahēbāmus, subtrahēbātis, subtrahēbant. The future is subtraham, subtrahēs, subtrahēt, subtrahēmus, subtrahētis, subtrahent. The perfect is subtraxi, subtraxistī, subtraxit, subtraximus, subtraxistis, subtraxerunt. The perfect passive participle is subtractus; the supine is subtractum.

In usage, subtrahere appears in Latin texts dealing with arithmetic or measurement, as well as in prose that treats removal or deduction in a more figurative sense. Its English cognate subtract reflects the same etymological lineage, illustrating the shared roots across the Indo-European language family. Subtrahere is encountered primarily in classical and late antique Latin, and is commonly glossed in dictionaries as “to subtract” when referring to numbers, or more generally as “to pull away” or “to withdraw” in non-numerical contexts. See also subtraction.