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Why do we have unused prefixes in some words, like Pneumatic?
I was wondering why some words have unused prefixes, like the word Pneumatic? Why is the P there if it's not pronounced?
That's a great question! Unused prefixes often come from the word's etymology, which is the origin and history of the word. In the case of "pneumatic," the "p" comes from the Greek word "pneuma," which means "breath" or "wind." It was added to the beginning of the word to indicate that it related to air or gas.