active word-forming element in English and in many verbs inherited from French and Latin, from Latin de "down, down from, from, off; concerning" (see de), also used as a prefix in Latin, usually meaning "down, off, away, from among, down from," but also "down to the bottom, totally" hence "completely" (intensive or completive), which is its sense in many English words.

As a Latin prefix it also had the function of undoing or reversing a verb's action, and hence it came to be used as a pure privative — "not, do the opposite of, undo" — which is its primary function as a living prefix in English, as in defrost (1895), defuse (1943), de-escalate (1964), etc. In some cases, a reduced form of dis-.

1991, from babe in the "attractive young woman" sense + ending from delicious.

by 1998, hip-hop slang, from booty + ending from delicious.

c. 1400, "delightful to one of the senses, highly pleasing," from Old French delectable delitable and directly from Latin delectabilis "delightful," from delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). The earlier form in English was delitable (late 13c.). Since c. 1700 "rarer, more or less affected or humorous, and restricted to the lighter kinds of pleasure" [OED]. Related: Delectably.

mid-14c., delectacioun, "great pleasure, particularly of the senses" (but in Middle English also spiritual and intellectual), from Old French delectation "enjoyment" (12c.) and directly from Latin delectationem (nominative delectatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Also in theology "the second stage of sin, pleasure in contemplating sin, desire for sin" (mid-15c.).

late 14c., of persons, "self-indulgent, loving ease;" also "sensitive, easily hurt, feeble;" of things, "delightful," from Latin delicatus "alluring, delightful, dainty," also "addicted to pleasure, luxurious, effeminate," in Medieval Latin "fine, slender;" related to deliciae "pleasure, delight, luxury," and delicere "to allure, entice," from de "away" (see de-) + lacere "to lure, entice," which is of uncertain origin. Compare delicious, delectable, delight.

Meaning "so fine or tender as to be easily broken" is recorded from 1560s. Meaning "requiring nice and skillful handling" is by 1742. Sense of "exquisitely adjusted in construction" is from 1756. Related: Delicateness.

"delightfulness, quality of being delicious," late 14c., from delicious + -ness.

c. 1200, delit, "high degree of pleasure or satisfaction," also "that which gives great pleasure," from Old French delit "pleasure, delight, sexual desire," from delitier "please greatly, charm," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Spelled delite until 16c.; the modern unetymological form is by influence of light, flight, etc.

c. 1200, deliten, intransitive, "to have or take great pleasure;" c. 1300, transitive, "to affect with great pleasure," from Old French delitier "please greatly, charm," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Related: Delighted; delighting.

1733, "an admirer of a fine art, literature, science, etc., one who cultivates an art or literature casually and for amusement," a borrowing of Italian dilettante "lover of music or painting," from dilettare "to delight," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative of delicere "entice" (see delicious). Originally without negative connotation, "devoted amateur;" the pejorative sense "superficial and affected dabbler" emerged late 18c. by contrast with professional.