cancel
UK[ˈkæns(ə)l]US[ˈkæns(ə)l]
v
To decide that something planned will not happen or continue.
v
To mark a stamp or ticket so it cannot be used again.
v
To publicly stop supporting a person or product because of something they have said or done.
Etymology
The word 'cancel' entered English in the late 14th century from the Old French 'canceller', which itself derived from the Latin 'cancellare', meaning "to make like a lattice, to cross out." This Latin verb was formed from 'cancelli', meaning "lattice, grating, or bars." The conceptual link is visual: crossing out writing with crisscrossing lines resembles drawing a lattice or grid over it, thereby invalidating it. Over time, the meaning expanded from the literal act of marking through text to encompass the broader, more abstract ideas of revoking, invalidating, or calling off plans and agreements.
Analysis
The word 'cancel' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English that are direct substrings of the whole word.
Examples
The airline had to cancel all flights due to the severe storm.
Please remember to cancel your subscription before the free trial ends.
The post office will cancel the stamp with a dated mark.