This list includes 22 Prefixes that start with E, from “e-” to “extra-“. These small elements come from Latin, Greek, and Old English. They help you form and understand words used in writing and study.
Prefixes that start with E are small word parts placed before roots to change meaning. Notably, prefixes like “ex-” and “extra-” come from Latin and appear across legal, scientific, and everyday words.
Below you’ll find the table with [COLUMN_NAMES]
Prefix: The prefix itself as written so you can spot it quickly and match it to words you encounter.
Origin: The language source (Latin, Greek, Old English, etc.) that helps you see historical patterns and connections.
Meaning: A short, practical gloss showing how the prefix alters a root’s basic sense.
Examples: Two to four clear example words so you can see the prefix used in real contexts.
Notes: Brief usage tips, common variants, or register information to help you choose the right form.
Sources: Short citations or links that let you trace definitions and verify usage if you want more detail.
Prefixes that start with E
| Prefix | Origin | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| ex- | Latin | out of; from; away; thoroughly | exit; export; excavate; exclude |
| en- | Greek/Latin | to put into or onto; to cause to be | entrust; endanger; enslave; enrage |
| e– | Modern coinage | electronic; relating to the internet | e-mail; e-commerce; e-book; e-learning |
| extra- | Latin | outside; beyond the scope of | extraordinary; extracurricular; extraterrestrial; extrasensory |
| eco- | Greek | environment; habitat; household | ecology; ecosystem; ecotourism; economy |
| equi- | Latin | equal; equally | equivalent; equilateral; equilibrium; equidistant |
| ex- | Modern English | former; previously | ex-wife; ex-president; ex-employee; ex-partner |
| epi- | Greek | upon; on; over; in addition to | epidermis; epicenter; epilogue; epidemic |
| eu- | Greek | good; well; pleasant; true | eulogy; euphoria; euphemism; eugenics |
| endo- | Greek | within; internal; inner | endoskeleton; endocrine; endoscopy; endoderm |
| ecto- | Greek | outside; external | ectoplasm; ectoderm; ectoparasite |
| electro- | Greek | relating to electricity or electrons | electromagnet; electrolysis; electrocardiogram |
| ethno- | Greek | race; people; culture; nation | ethnicity; ethnography; ethnocentric; ethnomusicology |
| e– | Latin | out of; from; away | eject; elaborate; eradicate; evade |
| eso- | Greek | inward; within | esoteric; esotropia; esophagus |
| entero- | Greek | relating to the intestine | enteritis; gastroenterology; enterovirus |
| ento- | Greek | within; inner | entomology; entophyte; entoptic |
| eo- | Greek | dawn; early; ancient | eocene; eolith; eoan |
| erythro- | Greek | red; reddish | erythrocyte; erythromycin; erythrism |
| eury- | Greek | wide; broad | euryhaline; eurythermal; eurypterid |
| encephal(o)- | Greek | relating to the brain | encephalitis; encephalogram; encephalopathy |
| exa- | Greek | quintillion (10 to the 18th power) | exabyte; exaflop; exagram |
Descriptions
ex-
A highly versatile prefix. It can also be intensive, meaning “thoroughly,” as in ‘exacerbate’. Often becomes ‘e-‘ or ‘ef-‘.
en-
Very productive in creating verbs. Changes to ’em-‘ before b, m, or p, as in ’empower’ or ’embody’.
e–
A modern initialism from ‘electronic’. Now one of the most productive prefixes, used to create words for digital or online concepts.
extra-
Used for things that are outside or beyond a normal range. Not to be confused with ‘ex-‘ meaning “former.”
eco-
From Greek ‘oikos’ (house). Hugely popular in environmental and economic contexts. Its meaning has expanded from ‘household’ to ‘planet’.
equi-
From Latin ‘aequus’ (equal). A straightforward prefix found in mathematical, scientific, and general vocabulary.
ex-
A modern, hyphenated prefix indicating a former status. It’s distinct from the Latin ‘ex-‘ meaning “out of.”
epi-
A versatile prefix indicating location (on top of) or sequence (after), common in both scientific and literary terms.
eu-
From Greek ‘eus’ (good). The opposite of ‘dys-‘. A key to unlocking the meaning of many positive-sounding words.
endo-
Commonly used in biology and medicine to describe internal structures or processes. Its opposite is ‘ecto-‘ or ‘exo-‘.
ecto-
From Greek ‘ektos’ (outside). The counterpart to ‘endo-‘, used in scientific contexts to refer to outer layers or external phenomena.
electro-
A modern combining form derived from ‘electric’. Used extensively in science and technology to form new compounds.
ethno-
From Greek ‘ethnos’ (nation). Used in social sciences to form words related to the study of human cultures and groups.
e–
A variant of the prefix ‘ex-‘ used before certain consonants (like d, j, l, m, v). It has the same meaning of “out” or “from.”
eso-
Less common than its cousin ‘endo-‘, this prefix from Greek ‘esō’ (within) is found in a few specialized words.
entero-
A medical and biological prefix from Greek ‘enteron’ (intestine). Essential for understanding many gastrointestinal terms.
ento-
A variant of ‘endo-‘ from Greek ‘entos’ (within). In ‘entomology’, it refers to an insect’s “cut in” body segmentation.
eo-
From Greek ‘ēōs’ (dawn). Used in geology and paleontology to name the earliest part of an era, like the Eocene epoch.
erythro-
A scientific prefix from Greek ‘eruthros’ (red), most famously used to describe red blood cells (erythrocytes).
eury-
From Greek ‘eurus’ (wide). Found in biological terms to describe organisms that can tolerate a wide range of conditions.
encephal(o)-
A medical combining form from Greek ‘enkephalon’ (in the head). Key for terms related to brain diseases and imaging.
exa-
A standard SI prefix for measurement, representing 1,000 to the sixth power. Derived from Greek ‘hex’ (six).