DictionaryRoot: epi-
Greek

epi-

on, upon; over

Forms

  • epi-
  • ep- — Used before a vowel without an initial h sound in Greek.
  • eph- — Used before a vowel that began with an h sound in Greek.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *epi, ‘on; near.’

Note

Position on top can suggest addition, attachment, or an action directed at something.

23 / 24
Three clearly separated views of the same riverside town across history, with the central steam-industrial period emphasized as a distinct interval between an earlier agrarian settlement and a later modern city.
noun

epoch

EP-uhk/ˈepək/

A significant period in history or development.

Etymology

Holding a position supplied the idea of a pause or fixed point in time. The word then extended from a point marking a new beginning to the historical period itself.

Full entry

Related word entries