FromVulgar Latin*depta, contracted fromLatindebita. The early contraction possibly also underlies inOld Occitandeuta, whereasOld Spanishdebda was contracted at a later stage.
deteoblique singular, f (oblique pluraldetes,nominative singulardete,nominative pluraldetes)
Inherited fromProto-Slavic*dětę, fromProto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-(“to suck, suckle”).
déte n (Cyrillic spellingде́те,relational adjectivedèčjī)
As opposed to other Slavic languages, inSerbo-Croatiandete does not have a plural – thecollective noundeca is used instead.