A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

entire --- c.1380, from O.Fr. entier "whole, complete," from L. integrum (nom. integer) "whole, complete," lit. "untouched," from in- "not" + root of tangere "to touch" (see tangent).

entitle --- c.1381, "to give a title to a chapter, book, etc.," from Anglo-Fr. entitler, from O.Fr. entiteler, from L.L. intitulare, from in "in" + titulus "title" (see title). Meaning "to bestow (on a person) a rank or office" is c.1447. Sense of "to give (someone) 'title' to an estate or property," hence to give that person a claim to possession or privilege, is c.1468; this is now used mostly in ref. to circumstances and actions.

entity --- 1596, from M.L. entitatem (nom. entitas), from L. ens (gen. entis), proposed by Caesar as prp. of esse "be" (see is), to render Gk. philosophical term to on "that which is."

ento- --- within, inside, inner, from Gk. ento-, comb. form of entos "within, inside" (cognate of L. intus), from PIE *entos, from *en- "in" + adv. suffix -tos, denoting origin.

entomb --- c.1578, from O.Fr. entomber, from en- "in" + tombe "tomb" (see tomb).

entomology --- 1766, from Fr. entomologie (1764), coined from Gk. entomon "insect" + logia "study of." Entomon is neut. of entomos "having a notch or cut (at the waist)," so called by Aristotle in reference to the segmented division of insect bodies, from en- "in" + temnein "to cut." Compare insect. "I have given the name insectology to that part of natural history which has insects for its object; that of entomology ... would undoubtedly have been more suitable ... but its barbarous sound terryfy'd me." [Charles Bonnet's Eng. translation of his "Contemplation de la nature," 1766]

entourage --- 1832, "surroundings, environment," picked up by De Quincey from Fr. entourage, from O.Fr. entour "that which surrounds," from en- "in" + tour "a circuit" (see tour). Sense of "attendant persons" first recorded in Eng. 1860.

entrails --- c.1300, from O.Fr. entrailles, from L.L. intralia "inward parts, intestines" (8c.), from L. interanea, neut. pl. of interaneus "internal," from inter "between, among."

entrance (n.) --- 1526, from M.Fr. entrance, from entrer (see enter). Originally "act of entering," sense of "door, gate" first recorded in Eng. 1535.

entrance (v.) --- to throw into a trance, 1593, from en- "put in" + trance (q.v.).

entrapment --- 1597, from en- "make, put in" + trap (v.). Criminal investigation sense first attested 1899.

entre- --- in words from Fr., corresponds to Eng. enter-, which is itself from Fr. entre "between, among," from L. inter (see inter-).

entreat --- c.1340, "to treat (someone) in a certain way," from Anglo-Fr. entretier, from O.Fr. entraiter, from en- "make" + traiter "treat." Meaning "to beseech, implore" is first attested 1502.

entree --- 1724, "opening piece of an opera or ballet," from Fr. entrée, from O.Fr. entree (see entry). Cookery sense is from 1759; originally the dish which was introductory to the main course.

entrench --- c.1563, from en- "make, put in" + trench.

entrepôt --- warehouse, 1828, from Fr., from L. interpositum "that which is placed between," neut. pp. of interponere.

entrepreneur --- 1828, reborrowing of Fr. entrepreneur "one who undertakes or manages," from O.Fr. entreprendre "undertake." The word first crossed the Channel c.1475, but did not stay.

entropy --- 1868, from Ger. Entropie "measure of the disorder of a system," coined 1865 (on analogy of Ger. Energie) by physicist Rudolph Clausius (1822-1888) from Gk. entropia "a turning toward," from en- "in" + trope "a turning" (see trope).

entrust --- 1602, from en- "make, put in" + trust (v.).

entry --- 1297, from O.Fr. entree, originally fem. pp. of entrer (see enter).

entwine --- 1597, from en- "make, put in" + twine.

enumeration --- 1577, from L. enumeratus, pp. of enumerare "to reckon up, count over, enumerate," from ex- "from" + numerare "to count, number," from numerus "number."

enunciation --- 1531 (implied in enunciative), from L. enuntiationem (nom. enuntiatio), from enuntiare "enunciate," from ex- "from" + nuntius "messenger" (see nuncio).

envelop --- 1386, "be involved in," from O.Fr. envoluper, from en- "in" + voloper "wrap up," of uncertain origin, perhaps Celtic.

envelope --- 1705, from Fr. enveloppe, a back-formation of envelopper "to envelop" (see envelop).

environment --- 1603, "state of being environed" (see environs); sense of "nature, conditions in which a person or thing lives" first recorded 1827 (used by Carlyle to render Ger. Umgebung); specialized ecology sense first recorded 1956. Environmentalism was coined 1923 as a psychological term (in the nature vs. nurture debate); the ecological sense is 1972 (environmentalist in this sense is attested from 1970).

environs --- 1665, from Fr. environs, pl. of O.Fr. environ "compass, circuit," from environ (adv.) "around," from en- "in" + viron "circle, circuit," from virer "to turn."

envisage --- 1820, from Fr. envisager "look in the face of," from en- "cause to" + visage "face."

envision --- 1921, from en- "make, put in" + vision (q.v.).

envoy --- 1660, from Fr. envoyé "messenger," lit. "one sent," n. use of pp. of envoyer "send," from V.L. *inviare "send on one's way," from L. in "on" + via "road." The same word was borrowed in M.E. to mean "a stanza of a poem sending it off to find readers" (c.1398).

envy --- c.1280, from O.Fr. envie, from L. invidia "envy, jealousy," from invidus "envious," from invidere "envy," earlier "look at (with malice), cast an evil eye upon," from in- "upon" + videre "to see" (see vision). Similar formations in Avestan nipashnaka "envious," also "look at;" O.C.S. zavideti "to envy," from videti "to see;" Lith. pavydeti "to envy," related to veizdeti "to see, to look at."

enwrap --- c.1382, from en- "make, put in" + wrap (q.v.).

enzyme --- 1881, as a biochemical term, from Ger. Enzym, coined 1878 by Ger. physiologist Wilhelm Kühne (1837-1900), from Gk. enzymos "leavened," from en- "in" + zyme "leaven."

Eocene --- second epoch of the Tertiary Period, coined in Eng. 1831, from Gk. eos "dawn" (see eohippus) + kainos "new;" along with Miocene and Pliocene, by William Whewell.

eohippus --- oldest known genus of the horse family, 1879, from Mod.L., from Gk. eos "dawn" (from PIE *ausus, cognate with Mod.Eng. east) + hippos "horse." Piltdown Man, before exposed as a fraud, was known as Eoanthropus.

eon --- 1647, from L. æon, from Gk. aion "age, vital force, lifetime," from PIE base *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity" (cf. Skt. ayu "life," Avestan ayu "age," L. aevum "space of time, eternity," Goth. aiws "age, eternity," O.N. ævi "lifetime," Ger. ewig "everlasting," O.E. a "ever, always").

epact --- 1552, "number of days by which the solar year exceeds a lunar one of 12 moons;" also "number of days into the moon on which the solar year begins;" from Fr. epacte, from L. epacta, from Gk. epaktos, verbal adj. of epagein "to intercalate, add, bring forward," from epi "on" + agein "to bring, to lead" (cognate with L. agere "to drive, set in motion;" see act).

epaulet --- 1783, from Fr. épaulette, dim. of epaule "shoulder," from O.Fr. espaule, from L. spatula "flat piece of wood, splint," later "shoulder blade," dim. of spatha "broad wooden instrument, broad sword," from Gk. spathe "a broad flat sword" (see spade (1)).

épée --- 1889, from Fr., lit. "sword" from O.Fr. espe, from L. spatha (see epaulet).

epeiric --- used in ref. to seas covering continental shelves, 1917, from Gk. epeiros "mainland."

ephebic --- 1880 (the noun, ephebe, is attested from 1697), from Gk. ephebos "of age 18-20," from epi- "upon" + hebe "early manhood." In classical Greece, the age when a citizen was chiefly occupied with garrison duty.

ephedra --- 1917, from Mod.L., coined by Linnæus (1737) from Gk. ephedra, lit. "sitting upon," from fem. of ephedros, from epi "on" + hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE base *sed- "to sit" (see sedentary).

ephemera --- 1398, originally a medical term, from M.L. ephemera (febris) "(fever) lasting a day," from fem. of ephemerus, from Gk. ephemeros "lasting only one day," from epi "on" + hemerai, dat. of hemera "day," from PIE *amer- "day." Sense extended to short-lived insects and flowers; general sense of "transitory" is first attested c.1639. Ephemeral is from 1576. Ephemeris "table of astronomical calculations" is from 1551.

ephor --- 1586, "Spartan magistrate," from Gk. ephoros "overseer," from epi- "over" + horan "to see" (cognate with O.E. wær "aware").

Ephraim --- male personal name, in O.T., younger son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, sometimes used figuratively for "Kingdom of Israel;" Gk. form of Heb. Ephrayim, a derivative of parah "was fruitful" (related to Aramaic pera "fruit").

epi- --- from Gk. epi "upon, at, close upon (in space or time), on the occasion of, in addition" (cognate with Skt. api "also, besides;" Avestan aipi "also, to, toward;" Arm. ev "also, and;" L. ob "toward, against, in the way of"). Before unaspirated vowels, reduced to ep-; before aspirated vowels, eph-. Used in modern scientific compounds, cf. epicenter (1887); epicycle (c.1391).

epic --- 1589, from L. epicus, from Gk. epikos, from epos "word, story, poem." Extended sense of "grand, heroic" first recorded in Eng. 1731. The noun meaning "an epic poem" is first recorded 1706.

epicene --- c.1450, originally a grammatical term for nouns that may denote either gender, from L. epicoenus "common," from Gk. epikoinos, from epi- "on" + koinos "common." Extended sense of "characteristic of both sexes" first recorded in Eng. 1601; that of "effeminate" 1633.

epicure --- c.1380, "follower of Epicurus," from L. Epicurus, from Gk. Epicouros (341-270 B.C.E.), Athenian philosopher who taught that pleasure is the highest good and identified virtue as the greatest pleasure; the first lesson recalled, the second forgotten, and the name used pejoratively for "one who gives himself up to sensual pleasure" (1641), especially "glutton, sybarite" (1774). Epicurus' school opposed by stoics, who first gave his name a reproachful sense.

epidemic --- 1603, from Fr. épidémique, from épidemié "an epidemic disease," from M.L. epidemia, from Gk. epidemia "prevalence of an epidemic disease" (especially the plague), from epi- "among, upon" + demos "people, district" (see demotic). Epidemiology "the study of epidemics" is from 1873.

epidermis --- 1626, from Gk. epidermis, from epi- "on" + derma "skin."

epididymis --- 1610, "fleshy mass at the back of the testicles" (jocularly called a taint), Mod.L., lit. "that which is on the testicles," from Gk. epididymis, a word probably coined by Gk. anatomist Herophilus (c.300 B.C.E.) from epi "on" + didymos "testicle," lit. "double, twofold" (adj.). "To save his Epididamies" [1652].

epiglottis --- 1525, from Gk. epiglottis, from epi- "on" + glottis, from glotta, variant of glossa "tongue."

epigram --- 1538, from Fr. épigramme, from L. epigramma, from Gk. epigramma "an inscription, epitaph, epigram," from epigraphein "to write on, inscribe" (see epigraph).

epigraph --- 1624, from Gk. epigraphe "an inscription," from epigraphein "to write on," from epi- "on" + graphein "write." Sense of "motto; short, pithy sentence at the head of a book or chapter" first recorded in Eng. 1844.

epilepsy --- 1578, from M.Fr. epilepsie, from L.L. epilepsia, from Gk. epilepsia "seizure," from epi- "upon" + lepsis "seizure," from leps-, future stem of lambanein "take hold of, grasp" (see analemma). Replaced the native name, falling sickness.

epilogue --- 1564, from M.Fr. epilogue, from L. epilogus, from Gk. epilogos "conclusion of a speech," from epi- "upon, in addition" + logos "a speaking." Earliest Eng. sense was theatrical.

epiphany --- c.1310, "festival of the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles" (celebrated Jan. 6; usually with a capital -E-), from O.Fr. epiphanie, from L.L. epiphania, neut. pl. (taken as fem. sing.), from Gk. epiphaneia "manifestation, striking appearance" (in N.T., advent or manifestation of Christ), from epiphanes "manifest, conspicuous," from epiphainein "to manifest, display," from epi- "on, to" + phainein "to show." Of divine beings other than Christ, first recorded c.1667; general literary sense appeared 1840, first in De Quincey.

episcopal --- c.1460, from M.Fr. episcopal, from L.L. episcopalis, from L. episcopus (see bishop). Sense of a church governed by bishops is 1752. With a capital -E-, the ordinary designation of the Anglican church in the U.S. and Scotland.

episode --- 1678, from Gk. epeisodion "addition," originally neut. of epeisodios "coming in besides," from epi- "in addition" + eisodos "a coming in, entrance" (from eis "into" + hodos "way"). Originally commentary between two choric songs in Gk. tragedy; extended by 1679 to "any incidental narrative or digression in a story, poem, etc." Sense of "outstanding incident, experience" first recorded in Eng. 1773.

epistemology --- theory of knowledge, 1856, coined by Scot. philosopher James F. Ferrier (1808-64) from Gk. episteme "knowledge," from Ionic Gk. epistasthai "know how to do, understand," lit. "overstand," from epi- "over, near" + histasthai "to stand." The scientific (as opposed to philosophical) study of the roots and paths of knowledge is epistemics (1969).

epistle --- O.E., from O.Fr. epistle, from L. epistola "letter," from Gk. epistole "message, letter," from epistellein "send to," from epi- "to" + stellein "send." Also acquired in O.E. directly from L. as pistol. Specific sense of "letter from an apostle forming part of canonical scripture" is c.1200.

epitaph --- 1387, from O.Fr. epitaphe, from L. epitaphium "funeral oration, eulogy," from Gk. epitaphion, neut. of epitaphos "of a funeral," from epi- "at, over" + taphos "tomb, funeral rites."

epithalamium --- 1595, "bridal song," from L., from Gk. epithalamion "a bridal song," from epi "at" + thalamos "bridal chamber, inner chamber."

epithet --- 1579, "descriptive name for a person or thing," from L. from Gk. epitheton, adj. often used as n., from neut. of epithetos "attributed, added," from epitithenai "to add on," from epi- "in addition" + tithenai "to put," from PIE base *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious).

epitome --- 1529, "an abstract; brief statement of the chief points of some writing," from M.Fr., from L., from Gk. epitome "abridgment," from epitemnein "cut short, abridge," from epi- "into" + temnein "to cut." Sense of "person or thing that typifies something" is first recorded 1607.

epoch --- 1614, "point marking the start of a new period in time" (e.g. the founding of Rome, the birth of Christ, the Hegira), from M.L. epocha, from Gk. epokhe "stoppage, fixed point of time," from epekhein "to pause, take up a position," from epi- "on" + ekhein "to hold." Transf. sense of "a period of time" is c.1628; geological usage (not a precise measurement) is from 1802.

epode --- 1598, a kind of lyric poem in which a short line follows a longer one (invented by Archilochus, also used by Horace), from Gk. epodus "after-song, incantation," from epi "after" + odein "to sing."

eponymous --- 1846, from Gk. eponymos "given as a name, giving one's name to something," from epi- "upon" + onyma, Aeolic dial. variant of onoma "name" (see name).

epoxy --- 1916, in ref. to certain chemical compounds, from epi- + oxy(gen). Resins from them are used as powerful glues; hence the verb meaning "to bond with epoxy" (1974).

epsilon --- from Gk., lit. e psilon "bare -e-, -e- and nothing else," in contradistinction to the diphthong -ai-, which has the same sound.

Epsom salts --- 1770, obtained from Epsom water, the water of a mineral spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. The place name is recorded c.973 as Ebbesham, lit. "Ebbi's homestead," from the name of some forgotten Anglo-Saxon.

Epstein-Barr virus --- 1968, named for British virologist Michael Anthony Epstein and Irish-born virologist Yvonne M. Barr.

equable --- 1677, from L. æquabilis "equal, consistent, uniform," from æquare "make uniform." Equability is from 1531.

equal --- c.1391, from L. æqualis "uniform, identical, equal," from æquus "level, even, just," of unknown origin. Parallel formation egal (from O.Fr. egal) was in use 1380-1600s. Equalitarian in reference to the doctrine that all mankind are equal is attested from 1799; equalizer "pistol" is U.S. slang, c.1900.

equanimity --- 1607, from Fr. equanimite, from L. æquanimitatem (nom. æquanimitas), from æquus "even" + animus "mind, spirit."

equate --- c.1400, from L. æquatus, pp. of æquare "make even or uniform, make equal," from æquus "level, even, equal." Earliest use in Eng. was of astrological calculation, then "to make equal;" meaning "to regard as equal" is early 19c. Equation is c.1386 in astrology; the mathematical sense is from 1570.

equator --- c.1391, from M.L. æquator diei et noctis "equalizer of day and night" (when the sun is on the celestial equator, twice annually, day and night are of equal length), from L. æquare "make equal, equate." Sense of "celestial equator" is earliest, extension to "terrestrial line midway between the poles" first recorded in Eng. 1612.

equerry --- 1591, short for groom of the equirrie, from esquiry "stables," from M.Fr. escuerie, perhaps from M.L. scuria "stable," from O.H.G. scura "barn;" or from O.Fr. escuier "groom," from V.L. scutarius "shield-bearer." In either case, spelling infl. by L. equus "horse," to which it is not related.

equestrian --- 1656, formed in Eng. from L. equester (gen. equestris) "of a horseman," from eques "horseman, knight," from equus "horse" (see equine). The pseudo-Fr. fem. equestrienne is attested from 1864.

equi- --- comb. form of L. æquus "equal, even." Equidistant and equilateral both first attested 1570; equipoise is 1635, replacing phrase equal poise.

equilibrium --- 1608, from L. æquilibrium, from æquus "equal" + libra "a balance, scale, plummet," of uncertain origin.

equine --- 1778, from L. equinus, from equus "horse," from PIE base *ekwos "horse" (cf. Skt. asvah, Gk. hippos, O.E. eoh, O.Ir. ech).

equinox --- c.1391, from O.Fr. equinoxe, from M.L. equinoxium "equality of night (and day)," from L. æquinoctium, from æquus "equal" + nox (gen. noctis) "night." The O.E. translation was efnniht.

equip --- 1523, from M.Fr. equiper "to fit out," from O.Fr. esquiper "fit out a ship," probably from O.N. skipa "fit out a ship," from skip "ship." Equipment is attested from 1717; earlier word was equipage.

equity --- c.1315, from O.Fr. equite, from L. æquitatem (nom. æquitas) "equality, conformity, symmetry, fairness," from æquus "even, just, equal." As the name of a system of law, 1591, from Roman naturalis æquitas, the general principles of justice which corrected or supplemented the legal codes.

equivalent --- c.1460, from L.L. æquivalentem (nom. æquivalens) "equivalent," pp. of æquivalere "be equivalent," from L. æquus "equal" + valere "be well, be worth" (see valiant).

equivocation --- c.1380, "the fallacy of using a word in different senses at different stages of the reasoning" (a loan-transl. of Gk. homonymia, lit. "having the same name"), from O.Fr. equivocation, from L.L. æquivocationem (nom. æquivocatio), from æquivocus "of identical sound," from L. æquus "equal" + vocare "to call" (see voice).

era --- 1615, from L.L. æra, era "an era or epoch from which time is reckoned," probably identical with L. æra "counters used for calculation," pl. of æs (gen. æris) "brass, money" (see ore). The L. word's use in chronology said to have begun in 5c. Spain (where, for some reason unknown to historians, the local era began 38 B.C.E.; some say it was because of a tax levied that year). Like epoch, in Eng. it originally meant "the starting point of an age;" meaning "system of chronological notation" is c.1646; that of "historical period" is 1741.

eradication --- 1548, from L. eradicationem, noun of action from eradicare "root out," from ex- "out" radix (gen. radicis) "root" (see radish).

erase --- 1605, from L. erasus, pp. of eradere "scrape out," from ex- "out" + radere "to scrape" (see raze). Of magnetic tape, from 1945. Eraser "thing that erases writing" is 1790, in Amer.Eng.

Erato --- muse who presided over lyric poetry, from Gk. erastos, verbal adj. of eran "to love." The verb is also the source of male proper names Erasmus (from Gk. erasmios "lovely, pleasant") and Erastus.

ere --- O.E. ær (adv., conj., & prep.), from Gmc. *airiz, comp. of *air "early," from PIE *ayer- "day, morning" (cf. Avestan ayar "day," Gk. eerios "at daybreak"). The adv. erstwhile retains the O.E. superl. ærest "earliest."

Erebus --- place of darkness between earth and Hades, 1596, from L., from Gk. Erebos, of unknown origin, perhaps from Sem. (cf. Heb. erebh "sunset, evening."

Erechtheus --- legendary first king and founder of Athens, from L., from Gk. Erekhtheos, lit. "shaker" (of the earth), from erekhthein "to rend, break, shatter, shake."

erect (adj.) --- c.1386, from L. erectus "upright," pp. of erigere "raise or set up," from e- "up" + regere "to direct, keep straight, guide" (see regal). Erection is 1503; of the penis, 1594.

eremite --- c.1200, learned form of hermit (q.v.), from Church L. eremita. Since mid-17c. in poetic or rhetorical use only, except in ref. to specific examples in early Church history.

erg --- unit of energy in the C.G.S. system, coined 1873 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science from Gk. ergon "work" (see urge (v.)).

ergative --- 1943, grammatical case used for the subjects of transitive verbs (in Eskimo, Basque, Caucasian languages), from Gk. ergatos "workman."

ergo --- c.1400, from L. ergo "therefore," possibly from *ex rogo "from the direction," from ex "out of" + root of regere "to guide" (see regal).

ergonomics --- scientific study of the efficiency of people in the workplace, coined 1950 from Gk. ergon "work" (see urge (v.)) + (ec)onomics.

ergophobia --- fear of work, 1905, jocular coinage from Gk. ergos "work" (see urge (v.)) + phobia "fear."

ergot --- disease of rye and other grasses, 1683, from O.Fr. argot "cock's spur," of unknown origin. The blight so called from the shape the fungus forms on the diseased grain. Ergotism "disease caused by eating ergot-infected breadstuffs," first recorded 1853. An alkaloid from the fungus, ergotamine (1921) is used to treat migraines.

Eric --- male personal name, from O.N. Eirikr, lit. "honored ruler, from P.Gmc. *aiza- "honor" + *rik- "ruler."

Erin --- ancient name of Ireland, from O.E. Erinn, dat. of Eriu "Ireland" (see Irish).

Erinys --- one of the three avenging spirits (Alecto, Tisiphone, Megaera) in Gk. religion, of unknown origin, perhaps "the angry spirit" (cf. Arcadian erinein "to be angry," rel. to Gk. orinein "to raise, stir, excite").

Eris --- goddess of discord, from Gk. eris "strife, discord."

Erl-king --- 1797, in Scott's translation of Goethe, from Ger. Erl-könig, lit. "alder-king," Herder's erroneous translation of Dan. ellerkonge "king of the elves."

Ermentrude --- fem. proper name, from O.H.G. Ermentrudis, from ermin "whole, universal" + trut "beloved, dear."

ermine --- c.1175, from O.Fr. hermine, both the animal and the fur, apparently from a convergence of L. (mus) Armenius "Armenian (mouse)," ermines being abundant in Asia Minor; and an unrelated Gmc. word for "weasel" (cf. O.H.G. harmo "ermine, stoat, weasel," adj. harmin; O.Saxon harmo, O.E. hearma, etc.) that happened to sound like it.

erne --- sea eagle, from O.E. earn "eagle," a common Gmc. word (cf. O.H.G. arn, M.Du. arent, Goth. ara "eagle," also surviving in the first element of old Gmc. names such as Arnold and Arthur), from PIE base *er-/*or- "great bird, eagle" (cf. Gk. ornis "bird," O.C.S. orilu, Lith. erelis, Welsh eryr "eagle").