en-

• em- (before certain consonants, principally b or p)
• el- (before certain consonants, principally l)

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

• IPA^(key): /ɛn-/, /ɪn-/, /ən-/

en-

1. Forms a transitive verb whose meaning is to make the attached adjective
   2. in, into

      embathe, enquire, enlist

   4. on, onto

      embark, enplane, enthrone

   6. covered by

      enclothe, embalm, enseam

3. to become

   enslave, embetter, engloom

5. provide with

   empower

7. an intensifier

   entangle, enwisen, enhance

• Before the labial consonants b or p, the form em- is used instead, a result of assimilation of place of articulation.

• (in): in-, intra-, em-/im-, end-/endo-/ento-
• (on): on-, epi-, super-, supra-, sur-, hyper-

• (antonym(s) of “in”): out-, ex-, exo-, ecto-
• (antonym(s) of “on”): out-, ab-, apo-, de-, away, off

• “en-”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “en-”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

• nê, né, Ne., ne, -ne-, NE, ne., -ne

• em-

Inherited from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.

en-

1. en- (all meanings)

• en

• in-

From en, borrowed from French en.

• IPA^(key): /en-/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -en-
• Syllabification: en-

en-

2. in- (in, within, inside)

   La libro enhavas tridek ĉapitrojn. ― The book contains/includes thirty chapters.

   La ĉambro entenis kvardek personojn. ― The room contained forty people.

4. in to (into)

   ‎en- + ‎gluti → ‎engluti

   ‎en- + ‎skribi → ‎enskribi

   ‎en- + ‎blovi → ‎enblovi

   ‎en- + ‎brako + ‎-igi → ‎enbrakigi

   ‎en- + ‎vico + ‎-igi → ‎envicigi

   ‎en- + ‎kaso + ‎-igi → ‎enkasigi

   ‎en- + ‎tero + ‎-igi → ‎enterigi

   ‎en- + ‎loĝi + ‎-iĝi → ‎enloĝiĝi

   ‎en- + ‎ŝipo + ‎-iĝi → ‎enŝipiĝi

   ‎en- + ‎dormi + ‎-iĝi → ‎endormiĝi

• related to sense 1: interne de

• “en”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-present

• em-

Inherited from Old French en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

en-

1. en- (all meanings)
2. away, from, off, reversal

   enfuir, enlever, emporter, envoler

   Note: compare s'en aller

• en

• in-

• em- (before b or p)

From Old Galician-Portuguese en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); compare en.

en-

1. en-, in-

From

.

• en

• in-

Prefix form of en (“in”).

• IPA^(key): /ɛn/

en-

1. prefix indicating in

   ‎en- + ‎irar (“to go”) → ‎enirar (“to go in; enter”)

   ‎en- + ‎swichar (“to switch”) → ‎enswichar (“to switch on”)

• em- (before b or p)

From Old Spanish en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of in (“in, into”).

en-

1. en-

• an-

Borrowed from Old French en-, from Latin in-.

• IPA^(key): /ɛn-/

en-

1. Forms words, usually verbs, meaning "in", "on", or "around"; en-.
2. Intensifies words, usually verbs; en-.

• Sometimes used interchangeably with in-; see that entry for more.

• English: en- (in-)

• “en-, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

en-

1. future tense prefix

• Gunther Michelson (1973), A thousand words of Mohawk, University of Ottawa Press, page 5

From Old French en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.

en-

1. en- (all meanings)

• en

• in-

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

en-

1. Class 9 adjective concord.

The variant form em- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

• em-

From Old Occitan en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.

en-

1. en- (all meanings)

• en

• in-

• an-, em-

From Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”). Influenced by Frankish *an- (intensive prefix), related to Old English on- (intensive prefix).

en-

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

• en

• in-

From Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”).

en-

2. en-

• Galician: en-
• Portuguese: en-

From ēn (“one”).

ēn-

1. one, uni-, only

   ēnkunni (“only, unique”)

2. sole, single, solitary

• em- (before b or p)
• e- (before m or n)

From Old Galician-Portuguese en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); compare em.

en-

2. en- (all meanings)

• em

• in-

• “en-”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026

• em- (before b or p)

Inherited from Old Spanish en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.

en-

1. en- (all meanings) (clarification of this definition is needed.)

• in-

• “en-”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Related to Tocharian B en-, either borrowed into or from Tocharian A. Of uncertain origin, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European, cognate with Ancient Greek αἶνος (aînos, “story, tale”).

en-

1. to instruct, teach
2. to punish

Related to Tocharian A en-, either borrowed into or from Tocharian B. Of uncertain origin, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European, cognate with Ancient Greek αἶνος (aînos, “story, tale”).

en-

1. to instruct, teach
2. to punish

• enäṣṣālñe (“instruction, teaching, doctrine”)

• Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), “en-”, in A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 10), Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, page 87

• an-

• IPA^(key): /ɛn/

en-

1. affirmative prefix, emphasises prefixed word

   ‎en- + ‎mawr (“big”) → ‎enfawr (“huge”)

   ‎en- + ‎pyd (“danger”) → ‎enbyd (“dangerous, exceeding, pressing”)

R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “en-”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

en-

1. Class 9 adjective concord.

The variant form em- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

From a- (“relative”) +‎ n- (“class 9 basic noun prefix”).

ḗn-

1. Class 9 adjective concord.

The variant form em- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “em-, en-”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “em-, en-”