Sheldon wrote:
> On Dec 13, 7:35 am, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>> Charlene Charette wrote:
>>> Steve Wertz wrote:
>>>> On 12 May 2007 17:25:15 -0700, wrote:
>>>>> There is no d in refrigerate.
>>>> But there is in 'fridge'. Go figure.
>>> That's because "fridge" comes from "Frigidaire" not "refrigerator".
>> And if you spell it "frig" it doesn't look as if it's pronounced "fridge".
>>
>> nancy
>
> Re is used as a preposition here meaning; in re, as to, regarding.
> Refrigerate means *regarding cold*.
>
> M-W
>
> re·frig·er·ate
> transitive verb
> Etymology: Latin refrigeratus, past participle of refrigerare, from
> re- + frigerare to cool, from frigor-, frigus cold — more at frigid
> Date: 1534
> : to make or keep cold or cool ; specifically : to freeze or chill (as
> food) for preservation
> ---
>
> re
> preposition
> Etymology: Latin, abl. of res thing — more at real
> Date: 1707
> : with regard to : in re
> ---
>
>
You're confusing the preposition Re with the prefix Re. The preposition
does indeed mean in regard to, however in this case it is the prefix Re
which means (among other things) again, in words such as rewrite and
reread.

Refrigerate doesn't mean *regarding cold*, it means *to make cold again*
or more commonly *to make cold*.

Both are from Latin so I can understand how you have been confused.