To deduct is to take away an amount from a total, especially in math, bills, or taxes.
It comes from Latin “deducere,” meaning “to lead down, subtract,” from “de-” (down, away) and “ducere” (to lead). The idea shifted from physically leading something away to subtracting it.
“Deduct” shares roots with “conduct” and “introduce”—they all involve “leading” something somewhere. In this case, you’re leading numbers away from the total, which is a neat mental image for subtraction.
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