e– {Generally indicates removal, or outward direction or position; hence: out, outside, from out, without}: ebullient, ecru, edentate, edict, edit, educate, educe, egest, egregious, egress, ejaculate, eject, elaborate, élan, elapse, elate, elect, elegant, elegit, elevate, elide, eliminate, elite, elocution, elongate, eloquent, elucidate, elude, elusive, emaciate, emanate, emancipate, emasculate, emend, emerge, emergency, emeritus, emigrate, eminent, emission, emit, emollient, emotion, emulsion, emunctory, enormous, enumerate, enunciate, eradicate, erase, erect, erode, eruct, erupt, evacuate, evade, evaginate, evaluate, evanescent, evaporate, evasive, evection, event, eventual, evert, evict, evidence, evince, eviscerate, evocative, evoke, evolution, evolve, evulsion ●same as ex– || 
L & Gr ex– : out, outward, outside; used before b, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, v
ease– {comfort, convenience}: disease, ease, easement, easy ●malaise || ME ese OFr aise VL : ease, comfort
east– {dawn, hence: the east}: east, Easter ●Austria || ME est OE east (akin to Ger osten, ON austr) Gmc root aust– : dawn
eau– {water}: Eau Claire, eau de Cologne, eau de Nile, eau de vie ●see also aqua– || Fr L aqua : water
ec– {out, out of, outside}: anecdote, ecbolic, eccentric, ecclesi–, éclat, eclectic, eclipse, ecstasy, ectomy– ●extended form: ecto– ●see also ex– || L & Gr ex– : outside, outwards, without; used before c or s
ecclesi– {church}: ecclesia, Ecclesiastes, ecclesiastical, ecclesiolatry, ecclesiology || L ecclesia : an assembly of people (in LL(Ec) assembly of Christians) Gr ekklēsia : assembly ekklētos : summoned ekkalein : to summon ek– : out + kalein : to call
ecdys– {to strip off}: ecdysiast, ecdysis, ecdysone || Gr ekdysis : a getting out, a stripping ekdyein : to strip off ek– : out of + dyein : to enter
echin– {spiny, prickly}: echinate, echinococcus, echinoderm, echinoid, echinus || Gr echinos : sea urchin, hedgehog
ec(o)– {house, habitat, environment}: androecium, autoecious, ecesis, ecology, econometrics, economics, economy, ecosystem, ecumenical, monoecious ●diocese ●see also oky– || LL oeco– Gr oiko– oikos : house IE *weik– : house, settlement
ecto– {outside}: ectoderm, ectomorph, ectopia, ectopic, ectoplasm ●extension of ec– ●compare endo– || ModL Gr ektos : outside
ectomy– {a surgical cutting out}: appendectomy, cystectomy, hysterectomy, lobectomy, mastectomy, nephrectomy, tonsillectomy, vasectomy ●comb. of ec– + tom– || Gr ektomē : a cutting out ek– : out + tomē : a cutting temnein : to cut
ed–1 {to build, house, building}: edifice, edify ●aedile || L aedēs : dwelling, house, temple, building 
aedificium : a building
ed–2 {to eat}: comedo, edacious, edacity, edible ●same as es–2 || L edere : to eat edācitās : gluttony, greediness
ed–3 {wealth, happiness}: Edgar, Edith, Edmond, Edward, Edwin || OE ead : prosperity, happiness Gmc root
ed–4 {delight, pleasure}: Eden, Edna || Heb eden : delight
edema– {swelling, tumor}: edema, myxedema || Gr oidēma : swelling, tumor
edit– {to give out, to publish}: edit, edition, editor, editorial, editorialize ●part of dition– || L ēditum, pp. of ēdere : to put forth, to give out ( e– (comb form of ex–) : out + –dere (comb. form) dare : to give) ēditio (gen. ēditiōnis) : a putting forth, a publishing
eg– ●see heg–
ego– {I, self}: alter ego, ego, egocentric, egoism, egomania, egotism || L ego : personal pronoun I; akin to Gr egō : I
egor– {assembly, place of assembly, to speak in assembly}: allegory, category, paregoric ●same as agor– || Gr agoreuein ēgor : to speak in public agor : marketplace, assembly
eid– {image, form}: eidetic, eidolon, kaleidoscope ●same as id–, oid– || Gr eidos : what is seen, shape, form
el– {God [combining form, in names of Hebraic origin]}: Ariel, Babel, Bethel, Daniel, Elias, Elihu, Elijah, Eliot, Elisha, Elizabeth, Ellis, Elohim, Emmanuel, Gabriel, Gamaliel, Hazel, Ishmael, Israel, Joel, Lemuel, Michael, Michelle, Nathaniel, Raphael, Samuel ●Span. Manuel || Heb elohim, pl. of eloah : God
electr– {shining, sparkling}: Electra, electric, electroencephalogram, electrode, electron, electronic || L electrum : amber (amber produces sparks when rubbed) Gr ēlektron : shining Electra : Greek and Roman goddess : “The Shining One”
em–, empt– {to obtain, to take, to buy}: ademption, caveat emptor, exemplary, exemplify, exempt, peremptory, preempt, premium, redeem, redemption ●irredentist ●unrelated: empty ●more at prompt– ●see also sample–, sum– || L emere (pp. emptum) : to take, to buy, to purchase emptor : buyer; praemium : that which is taken first, the pick prae– : before + emi (prp. of emere)
eme–1 {unit of language structure}: grapheme, lexeme, morpheme, phoneme, sememe, taxeme || Fr –ème : unit, sound phonème : phoneme
eme–2 {superlative word form}: extreme, supreme ●same as im– ●see also Appendix B || L superlative word form: extrēmus, superl. of exter : outside; suprēmus, superl. of superus : above
emia–, emic– {condition or state of the blood}: anemia, anemic, anoxemia, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, ischemia, leukemia, septicemia, uremia ●same as hemato–, hemo– || ModL Gr †–aimia (comb. form) haima (gen. haimatos) : blood
emic– ●see emia–
empt– ●see em–
enchym– {infusion, to pour in}: collenchyma, mesenchyme, parenchyma, prosenchyma, sclerenchyma || Gr enchyma : a steeping, infusion enchein : to pour in en– : in + cheein : to pour
end(o)– {inside, within}: endergonic, endermic, endocardium, endocrine, endogamy, endomorph, endothecium, endothelium ●compare ecto–, ex– || Gr endon : within
enn– {year}: biennial, biennium, centennial, millennium, perennial, quinquennium ●same as ann– || L –ennium (comb. form) annus : year
ent–, sent–1 {to be}: absent, entity, essential, present, represent ●same as es–1 || L esse (prp. ens, gen. entis) : to be
entom– {insect}: entomology, entomophagous, entomophilous, entomostracan ●comb. of en– (in) + tom– (to cut) || Gr entoma (zōa) : notched (cut in) animals en– : in + tomos : cut temnein : to cut; insects are notched or divided (cut) into segments
entr–1 {inside, between}: enter, enterprise, entertain, entrance, entrecôte, entrée, entrepôt, entrepreneur, entresol, entry ●same as intr– ●see also entr–2 || Fr entr– : inside, between L inter– : inside, within
entr–2 {intestines}: coelenterate, dysentery, enteric, enteritis, enteron, enterostomy, entrails, mesentery ●see also entr–1 || Gr enteron : intestine enter– : within, inside
eo– {dawn, hence: early}: eobiont, Eocene, eohippus, eolith, Eos, eosin || Gr ēōs : dawn Gr & L Ēōs : goddess of dawn, sister of Heliōs, sun god
ep– {word, speech, song}: epic, epos, epopee, orthoepy || L & Gr epos : word, song
epeir– {continent, mainland}: epeirogeny || Gr ēpeiros : land, mainland, continent IE *āpero– : shore
eph– ●see epi–
ep(i)–, eph– {on, upon, over, above, behind, beside, among}: eparch, epenthesis, epexegesis, ephedrine, ephemeral, ephemeris, ephemeron, epiblast, epicanthus, epicardium, epicene, epicenter, epicycle, epidemic, epidermis, epididymis, epidote, epiglottis, epigram, epigraph, epilepsy, epilogue, epinephrine, Epiphany, epiphyte, Episcopal, episode, epistasis, epistemology, epistle, epistyle, epitaph, epithelium, epithet, epitome, epoch, epode, eponym, epoxy ●epi– becomes ep– or eph– before a vowel || Gr epi : at, on to, upon, over, besides
equ–1 {even, equal}: adequate, equable, equal, equalitarian, equality, equalize, equanimity, equate, equation, equator, equatorial, equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equitable, equity, equivalent, equivocal, equivocate ●Ecuador, iniquity || ME L aequus : equal, even, level aequare : to make equal, to equal, to make level; aequitās : equality, uniformity; aequālitās : evenness, equality
equ–2 {horse}: equerry, equestrian, equestrienne, equine, equisetum, equitation || L equus : horse equester (adj.) : equestrian; equitare : to ride on horseback
er– {love}: Erasmus, Erato, Eratosthenes, erogenous, Eros, erotic, erotica, pederasty || Gr erōs (gen. erōtos) : love erōtikos : arousing love; Erōs : Greek god of love, identified with Roman Cupid; eran : to love eratos : beloved Eratō : the Muse of erotic lyric poetry
erc– {compulsion, application of force}: coerce, exercise || L –ercere (comb. form) arcēre : to shut in, to confine, to hinder, to prevent
erg– {work}: allergy, anergy, endergonic, energumen, energy, erg, ergonomic, exergonic, synergy ●argon, George ●same as urg– ●see also organ– || Gr ergon : work
erior– {farther in the given direction}: anterior, exterior, inferior, interior, posterior, superior, ulterior ●see also Appendix B || L comparative word form: exterior, compar. of exter : outside; inferior, compar. of inferus : below
ernal– {location in reference to direction}: external, infernal, internal, supernal ●see also Appendix B || L noun-forming word form: externus : that which is outside, external; internus : that which is inside, internal
err– {to wander, to go astray}: aberrant, aberration, err, errant, errata, erratic, erroneous, error ●arrant ●unrelated: errand || L errare : to wander, to stray error : a wandering about, a wavering, an uncertainty; errāticus : wandering, erratic
ert– {activity, movement}: inert, inertia ●unrelated: exert ●same as art– || L iners (gen. inertus) : untrained, unskillful, inactive, idle in– : not + ars (gen. artis) : skill, craft
erythr– {red}: erythrism, erythrite, erythroblast, erythrocyte, erythromycin, erythropoiesis, phycoerythrin || ModL Gr erythros : red
es–1 {to be}: essence, essential, id est, interest, quintessential ●is ●Ger. ist ●Fr. est ●Span. esta ●same as ent– || L esse : to be; interest inter : between + est : 3rd pers. sing. (it is) : it concerns, it is of importance
es–2 {to eat}: comestible, escarole, esculent, esurient ●same as ed–2 || L esca : food, victuals ( edere (pp. esum) : to eat) esculentus : edible; ēsurire (pp. ēsuriens) : to be hungry
esce– {to begin, to become}: adolescent, coalesce, convalesce, crescent, fluorescent, incandescent, luminescent, phosphorescent, recrudesce, quiescent, senescent || L –escere : verb-forming suffix : to become
eso– {within, inward}: esoteric, esotropia || Gr esō (compar. esōteros) : within es, eis : into IE *ens– *en– : in
esth–, aesth– {sensory perception}: anesthesia, aesthete, aesthesia, esthesiometer, esthetic, kinesthesia ●unrelated: Esther || Gr aisthēsis : perception, sense-impression aisthanesthai : to perceive aisthētikos : sensitive
estim– {to estimate, to evaluate, to value}: estimate, inestimable ●esteem || L aestimare : to appraise, to evaluate, to rate, to value a thing aestimātio : an appraisal
estiv– {summer}: estival, estivate, estivation ●compare hibern–, vern– || L aestīvus : relating to summer aestās : summer; akin to aestus : heat
estr– {madness, frenzy}: anestrus, diestrus, estriol, estrogen, estrone, estrous, estrus || L oestrus : gadfly, horsefly, frenzy
et– {age}: coetaneous, eternal, eternity ●sempiternal ●same as ev– || L aetās : an age, a lifetime contr. of old aevitās aevum, aevus : eternity, time, lifetime, period of time
eth–1 {moral custom}: cacoethes, ethical, ethics, ethology, ethos, unethical || Gr ēthos : character, custom
eth–2 {ether}: ethane, ethanol, ether, ethereal, ethyl, ethylene, polyethylene || L aether : the upper air Gr aithēr aithein : to kindle, to burn
ethel– {noble}: Ethel, Ethelbert, Ethelred ●same as al–2, adel– || OE æthele : noble; akin to OHG adal : nobility
ethn– {race of people}: ethnarch, ethnic, ethnicity, ethnobotany, ethnocentric, ethnography || Gr ethnos : a nation, a people
etym– {origin of a word}: etymology, etymon || Gr etymon : literal sense of a word, etymology neut. of etymos : true
eu– {good, well}: eucalyptus, Eucharist, Eudora, Eugene, eugenics, Eulalia, eulogy, Eunice, eupeptic, euphemism, euphonious, euphoria, Euphrates, eurhythmic, Eustace, eutectic, euthanasia, euthenics, eutherian, euxenite ●Evangeline, evangelism ●compare caco– || Gr eu– : good, well
eur– {to discover}: eureka!, heuristic || Gr heuriskein : to find, to discover
eur(y)– {wide}: aneurysm, euroky, Eurydice, euryhygric, euryphagous, eurytropic ●compare steno– || Gr eurys : wide, broad
euvr–, oeuvr– {work}: hors d’oeuvre, maneuver (Brit. sp. manoeuvre) || Fr oeuvre : work L opera : a work, a labor; opus : work, a finished work
ev– {age}: coeval, longevity, medieval, primeval ●same as et– || L aevum, aevus : eternity, time, lifetime, period of time, an age
ex– {Generally indicates removal, or outward direction or position; hence: out, outside, from out, without. Also used as an intensive.}: exact, exalt, examine, example, exasperate, ex cathedra, excavate, exceed, excel– , except, excerpt, excess, exchange, excise, excite, exclaim, exclude, excommunicate, excrete, excruciating, excursion, excuse, execute, exegesis, exempt, exercise, exert, exhale, exhaust, exhibit, exhilarate, exhort, exhume, ex–husband, exile, exist, exit, ex libris, exodus, exonerate, exorbitant, exorcise, exotic, expand, expatriate, expect, expectorate, expedient, expedition, expel, expend, exper– , expire, explain, expletive, explicit, explode, exploit, explore, exponent, export, expose, ex post facto, ex–president, express, expropriate, expunge, expurgate, exquisite, extant, extemporaneous, extend, exterminate, extinct, extol, extort, extract, extradite, extricate, extrude, exuberant, exude, exult, exurb, inexorable ●extended form: extr– ●same as e–, exo– ●see also ec– ●compare in– ●ex– becomes ef– before f; e– before b, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, v; often ec– before c, s; es– in words of French origin; before stems beginning with s the initial s is sometimes dropped: execrate, exude, exult || L & Gr ex– : out, outside, outward, from out, from
excel– {to raise, to go higher}: excel, excellent, excelsior, Gloria in Excelsis Deo || L excellere : to stand out, to be distinguished, to excel excellens : high, lofty, distinguished
exo– {outside, outward, external}: exobiology, exocarp, exocrine, exoderm, exodontia, exogamy, oxogenous, exoskeleton, exosphere, exospore, exothermic, exotoxin ●same as ex– || Gr exo– : outside of, out, from
exper– {to try, to learn by trying}: experience, experiment, expert, expertise ●see also pir– || L experīrī : to try, to test, to know by having tried, to know by experience experientia : trial, testing; experīmentum : experience, proof from experience; expertus : tested, approved, experienced
extr– {outside, outward}: exterior, external, extra, extra–, extracurricular, extramarital, extraneous, extraordinary, extrapolate, extrasensory, extraterrestrial, extravagant, extravehicular, extreme, extremist, extremity, extrinsic, extro–, extrorse, extrovert ●extension of ex– ●compare intr– ●see also Appendix B || L exter : outward; compar. exterior : outer; superl. extrēmus : outermost
* Unattested, hypothesized
† Unknown origin
75 entries found.
Copyright © 2004–07 Daniel M. Short. All Rights Reserved.
