Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

En-

En-

.
1.
[F.
en
-, L.
in
.]
A prefix signifying in or into, used in many English words, chiefly those borrowed from the French. Some English words are written indifferently with en-or in-. For ease of pronunciation it is commonly changed to em-before p, b, and m, as in employ, embody, emmew. It is sometimes used to give a causal force, as in enable, enfeeble, to cause to be, or to make, able, or feeble; and sometimes merely gives an intensive force, as in enchasten. See
In-
.
2.
A prefix from Gr. [GREEK] in, meaning in;
as,
en
cephalon,
en
tomology
. See
In-
.

Definition 2024

en-

en-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "en"

English

Alternative forms

Prefix

en-

  1. in, into, on, onto
  2. covered
  3. caused
  4. as an intensifier

Usage notes

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:English_words_prefixed_with_en-'>English words prefixed with en-</a>

See also

Catalan

Etymology

Latin in

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Catalan_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Catalan words prefixed with en-</a>

French

Etymology

Old French en-, from Latin in

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:French_words_prefixed_with_en-'>French words prefixed with en-</a>

Galician

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin in.

Prefix

en-

  1. en-, in-

Ido

Etymology

Prefix form of en ‎(“in”).

Prefix

en-

  1. prefix indicating in
    en- + ‎irar ‎(“to go”) → ‎enirar ‎(“to go in; enter”)
    en- + ‎swichar ‎(“to switch”) → ‎enswichar ‎(“to switch on”)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Ido_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Ido words prefixed with en-</a>

Norman

Etymology

From Old French en-, from Latin in.

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Norman_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Norman words prefixed with en-</a>

Occitan

Etymology

Latin in

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Occitan_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Occitan words prefixed with en-</a>

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Latin in. Influenced by Frankish *an- ‎(intensive prefix), related to Old English on- ‎(intensive prefix).

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (in; into)
  2. en- (intensifier)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Old_French_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Old French words prefixed with en-</a>

Old Saxon

Etymology

From ēn ‎(“one”).

Prefix

ēn-

  1. one, uni-, only
    ēnkunni ‎(“only, unique”)
  2. sole, single, solitary

Portuguese

Etymology

Latin in

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Portuguese_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Portuguese words prefixed with en-</a>

Spanish

Etymology

Latin in

Prefix

en-

  1. en- (all meanings)

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:Spanish_words_prefixed_with_en-'>Spanish words prefixed with en-</a>

Zulu

Prefix

en- ‎(adjective concord)

  1. Class 9 adjective concord.

Usage notes

The form en- is used in most cases, but em- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (m, b or p).

See also

Etymology

From Middle English en- ‎(“en-, in-”).
Originally from Old French en- (also an-), from Latin in- ‎(“in, into”); but also from an alteration of Middle English in-, from Old English in- ‎(“in, into”), from Proto-Germanic *in ‎(“in”). Both Latin and Germanic, from Proto-Indo-European *en ‎(“in, into”). Intensive use of Old French en-, an- due to confluence with Old Frankish *an- ‎(intensive prefix), related to Old English on- ‎(intensive prefix). More at in-, on-.

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