en-

en- ¹

or em- or in-

pref.

1.

a. To put into or onto: encapsulate.

b. To go into or onto: enplane.

2. To cover or provide with: enrobe.

3. To cause to be: endear.

4. Thoroughly. Used often as an intensive: entangle.

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin in-, in; see en in Indo-European roots.]

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en- ²

or em-

pref.

In; into; within: enzootic.

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[Middle English, from Latin, from Greek; see en in Indo-European roots.]

en-

or

em-

prefix forming verbs and verbal derivatives

1. (from nouns)

a. put in or on: entomb; enthrone.

b. go on or into: enplane.

c. surround or cover with: enmesh.

d. furnish with: empower.

2. (from adjectives and nouns) cause to be in a certain condition: enable; encourage; enrich; enslave.

[via Old French from Latin in- in-²]

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en-

or

em-

prefix forming verbs and verbal derivatives

in; into; inside: endemic.

[from Greek (often via Latin); compare in-¹, in-²]

en

(ɛn)

n.

1. the letter N, n.

2. a space that is half the width of an em.

en-¹

,

a prefix forming verbs that have the general sense “to cause (a person or thing) to be in” the place, condition, or state named by the stem; more specifically, “to confine in or place on” (entomb); “to cause to be in” (enrich; enslave; entrust); “to restrict,” typically with the additional sense “on all sides, completely” (encircle; enclose; entwine). This prefix is also attached to verbs in order to make them transitive, or to give them a transitive marker if they are already transitive (enkindle; enliven; enshield).

Also, before labial consonants, em-. Compare be-, in-².

[Middle English < Old French < Latin in- in-²]

en-²

,

a prefix meaning “within, in,” occurring in loanwords from Greek: energy; enthusiasm.

Also, before labial consonants, em-.

[(< Latin) < Greek; c. in-¹, in-²]

-en¹

,

a suffix formerly used to form transitive and intransitive verbs from adjectives (fasten; harden; sweeten), or from nouns (heighten; lengthen; strengthen).

[Middle English, Old English -n-, as in Middle English fast-n-en, Old English fǣst-n-ian to make fast, fasten]

-en²

,

a suffix used to form adjectives of source or material from nouns: ashen; golden; oaken.

[Middle English, Old English; c. Old High German -īn, Latin -īnus; compare -ine¹]

-en³

,

a suffix used to mark the past participle in many strong and some weak verbs: taken; proven.

[Middle English, Old English; c. German -en, Old Norse -inn]

-en⁴

,

a suffix used in forming the plural of some nouns: brethren; children; oxen.

[Middle English; Old English -an, case ending of n-stem nouns, as in naman oblique singular, and nominative and acc. pl. of nama name]

-en⁵

,

a diminutive suffix: kitten; maiden.

[Middle English, Old English, from neuter of -en²]