How to pronounce deter
American English pronunciation
dih-TUR
- IPA
- /dɪˈtɝ/
- Syllables
- dih · TUR (2 syllables, stress on the 2nd)
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What deter means
To put someone off by making them fear the results
In a sentence: The tall fence deterred the deer from eating our garden.
Where it comes from: It comes from the Latin deterrere, made from parts meaning from and to frighten.
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Compare: deter and dissuade
Dissuade is talking someone out of something; deter is putting them off with fear of the results.
See also: dissuade
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