on-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "on"

English

Alternative forms

• a-, an-

Etymology

From Middle English on-, from Old English on-, an-, from Proto-West Germanic *ana-, from Proto-Germanic *an-, *ana- (“on-”), from Proto-Indo-European *ano-, *nō- (“on”). Cognate with Dutch aan-, German an-, Swedish an-. Doublet of ana-.

Prefix

on-

1. on, at, toward, upon.

   oncome, onset, onfall, onlay

Synonyms

• (above): en-, epi-, super-, supra-, sur-, hyper-

Derived terms

English terms prefixed with on-

Anagrams

• Nº, NO, No, No., N.O., no, no.

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch on-, from Old Dutch un-, from Proto-West Germanic *un-, from Proto-Germanic *un-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

Prefix

on-

1. un-, in- (expresses negation)
2. bad, grave, horrifying

   ‎on- + ‎mens (“human being”) → ‎onmens (“brute, barbarian”)

   ‎on- + ‎dier (“animal”) → ‎ondier (“monster”)

   ‎on- + ‎ding (“thing”) → ‎onding (“something unacceptable, absurd”)

   ‎on- + ‎kruid (“herb”) → ‎onkruid (“weed”)

   ‎on- + ‎weer (“weather”) → ‎onweer (“storm, severe weather”)

Derived terms

Dutch terms prefixed with on-

Derived terms

• onaanvaardbaar
• onafhankelijk
• onbedoeld
• onbegeleid
• onbegrip
• onbeheerst
• onbekend
• onbepaald
• onbeweeglijkheid
• onbezonnenheid
• ondiep
• ondode
• onduidelijk
• ongedierte
• ongehoorzaamheid
• ongeletterd
• ongelijkmatig
• ongeluk
• ongeschikt
• ongeschreven
• ongetwijfeld
• ongevaarlijk
• ongewenst
• ongewerveld
• ongewijzigd
• ongunstig
• onkruid
• onlangs
• onmisbaar
• onmogelijk
• onontbeerlijk
• onoverbrugbaar
• onovergankelijk
• onoverwinnelijk
• onpersoonlijk
• onpraktisch
• onrecht
• onschadelijk
• onschuldig
• ontevredenheid
• ontroostbaar
• ontrouw
• onveilig
• onvergelijkbaar
• onverwacht
• onvoltooid
• onvoordelig
• onvrede
• onwaarheid
• onweer
• onwetendheid
• onzeker
• onzijdig
• onzuiverheid

Descendants

• Afrikaans: on-
• Petjo: on

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch on, from Old Dutch *āna, from Proto-Germanic *ēnu (“without”), from Proto-Indo-European *anew, *enew (“without”).

Prefix

on-

1. on, without

Derived terms

Dutch terms prefixed with on-

Luxembourgish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /on/

Prefix

on-

1. un-, in-

Derived terms

Luxembourgish terms prefixed with on-

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch un-, from Proto-Germanic *un-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

Prefix

on-

1. un-, in-

Derived terms

Middle Dutch terms prefixed with on-

Descendants

• Dutch: on-
  • Afrikaans: on-
• Limburgish: ón-

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /on/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *an-, from Proto-Germanic *an, *ana (“on”).

Alternative forms

• an-

Prefix

on-

1. forming verbs and adjectives from participles and nouns, with various senses of on, upon, to, there, thither

   onhlinian ― to lean on

   ondōn ― to don, put on clothes

2. (inchoative) in, into; prefix used to intensify an action or to denote origin or initiation

   onlīehtan ― to enlighten

   onstellan, onstiellan ― to establish, institute, install, originate

Usage notes

• This is a verbal prefix, and is always unstressed.

Derived terms

Old English terms prefixed with on-

Etymology 2

From unstressed form of and- (“and-”).

Prefix

on-

1. denoting reverse action

   onbindan ― to untie, unbind

   onfealdan ― to unfold

2. off, away

   onberan ― to carry off

Usage notes

• This is a verbal prefix, and is always unstressed.

Derived terms

Old English terms prefixed with on-

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	on-
Brazilian standard	on-
New Tribes	on-

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [oŋ-]

Prefix

on-

1. allomorph of ön- (negative/sociative irrealis prefix) used for stems that have a first vowel o or u.