derail
UK[diːˈreɪl]US[diːˈreɪl]
v
To cause a train to leave the tracks.
v
To interrupt or prevent a process or plan from continuing as intended.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
rail
de
off, away
rail
track
Etymology
The word derail is a modern compound, formed in English during the early 19th century with the advent of railways. It combines the Latin-derived prefix de-, indicating removal or reversal, with the noun rail, which entered English via Old French from the Latin regula, meaning "straight stick, rule". The literal construction means "to cause to go off the rails". This concrete meaning of a train leaving its tracks logically extended metaphorically to describe any planned process being thrown off its intended course or track.
Analysis
Structure: de (off, away) + rail (track)
de- is a prefix of Latin origin meaning "off, away from, down". rail is a noun of Old French origin (reille, meaning "iron bar") referring to the track or bar on which a train runs.
Examples
The collision caused the freight train to derail.
The urgent financial question threatened to derail the peace negotiations.
She refused to let personal issues derail her career ambitions.