ur-

1. variant of uro-¹: uranalysis.

1. variant of uro-² before a vowel: urite.

(sometimes initial capital letter)

1. a combining form meaning “earliest, original,” used in words denoting the primal stage of a historical or cultural entity or phenomenon: ur-civilization; urtext.

combining form

1. a variant of uro- 1, uro- 2

combining form

1. original, primitiveUrsprache

prefix meaning “original, earliest, primitive,” from German; at first only in words borrowed from German (cf. ursprache “hypothetical primitive language”); since mid-20c. a living prefix in English. Cf. also Urschleim under protoplasm and Urquell under Pilsner.

pref.

1. Variant ofuro-