Standard Lemma guide

epi-

prefix · 27 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prefix

Meaning 1

Above in location or position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + littoral → epilittoral
  • epi- + nasal → epinasal
  • epi- + necral → epinecral

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: on-, en-, hyper-, super-, supra-, sur-

Antonyms: none provided

2

prefix

Meaning 2

Upon, atop, directly on top of in terms of position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + benthos → epibenthos
  • epi- + petro + -ic → epipetric
  • epi- + spinal → epispinal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

prefix

Meaning 3

Relating to epigenetics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

Examples

  • epi- + chromosomal → epichromosomal
  • epi- + clone → epiclone
  • epi- + genome → epigenome

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

prefix

Meaning 4

Secondary: a consequence, by-product, additional, or lesser version.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + language → epilanguage
  • epi- + phenomenon → epiphenomenon
  • epi- + toxoid → epitoxoid

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

prefix

Meaning 5

A part or segment that is located on the upper part of an object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + karst → epikarst
  • epi- + phase → epiphase
  • epi- + sternum → episternum

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

prefix

Meaning 6

A part or location that is outer, particularly an outer layer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + dermis → epidermis
  • epi- + pleuron → epipleuron
  • epi- + trochlea → epitrochlea

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

prefix

Meaning 7

Denotes an epimeric form.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • epi- + cedrol → epicedrol
  • epi- + cholesterol → epicholesterol
  • epi- + testosterone → epitestosterone

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

prefix

Meaning 8

Located on the surface.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + fascial → epifascial
  • epi- + -limnion → epilimnion
  • epi- + xyl- + -ous → epixylous

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

prefix

Meaning 9

Epibiotic: an organism that lives on another organism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

Examples

  • epi- + parasitism → epiparasitism
  • epi- + symbiont → episymbiont
  • epi- + symbiotic → episymbiotic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

prefix

Meaning 10

Outward in direction or projection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + -gnathous → epignathous
  • epi- + nasty → epinasty
  • epi- + pod → epipod

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

prefix

Meaning 11

More, above a usual quantity, additional in quantity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + cadmium → epicadmium
  • epi- + demic → epidemic
  • epi- + menorrhagia → epimenorrhagia

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

prefix

Meaning 12

Beyond, meta, transcending.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + muscular → epimuscular
  • epi- + language → epilanguage
  • epi- + theory → epitheory

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

prefix

Meaning 13

Epidemiology

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

Examples

  • epi- + zootic → epizootic
  • epi- + ornith- + -ic → epornitic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

prefix

Meaning 14

Near in position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + cellular → epicellular
  • epi- + stellar → epistellar
  • epi- + tuberculosis → epituberculosis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

prefix

Meaning 15

Outranking, above in rank.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + family → epifamily
  • epi- + phyletic → epiphyletic
  • epi- + -archy → eparchy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

prefix

Meaning 16

Surrounding in position: the edges of the root entity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + fascicular → epifascicular
  • epi- + macular → epimacular
  • epi- + perimetric → epiperimetric

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

prefix

Meaning 17

Covering: the root entity is covered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + glottis → epiglottis
  • epi- + spore → epispore
  • epi- + scope → episcope

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

prefix

Meaning 18

After in time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + classical → epiclassical
  • epi- + genesis → epigenesis
  • epi- → Epipaleolithic is the Mesolithic period (post-Paleolithic)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

prefix

Meaning 19

Overlapping in position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + lobous → epilobous
  • epi- + pharynx → epipharynx
  • epi- + pole → epipole

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

prefix

Meaning 20

Mapping onto, passing along, resolving to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + morphism → epimorphism
  • epi- + plexis → epiplexis
  • epi- + sememe → episememe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

prefix

Meaning 21

Top: a part that is positioned at the uppermost of multiple levels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + pelagic → epipelagic
  • epi- + plankton → epiplankton
  • epi- + valve → epivalve

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

22

prefix

Meaning 22

Front or anterior in position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + cnemial → epicnemial
  • epi- + plastron → epiplastron
  • epi- + sternum → episternum

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

prefix

Meaning 23

Entirety, a system being referred to as a whole.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + chaperome → epichaperome
  • epi- + organism → epiorganism
  • epi- + crisis → epicrisis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

prefix

Meaning 24

Outside of in position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + dural → epidural
  • epi- + skeletal → episkeletal
  • epi- + cycloid → epicycloid

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

25

prefix

Meaning 25

Shallow in depth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + thermal → epithermal
  • epi- + cortex → epicortex
  • epi- + geo- + -ous → epigeous

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

26

prefix

Meaning 26

Similar, in the same form of, resembling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + morphic → epimorphic
  • epi- + ascidiate → epiascidiate
  • epi- + calyx → epicalyx

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

27

prefix

Meaning 27

Upwards in direction or growth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Examples

  • epi- + phallus → epiphallus
  • epi- + film → epifilm
  • epi- + growth → epigrowth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h1épsder. Proto-Indo-European *h1epi Proto-Hellenic *epí Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) Ancient Greek ἐπῐ- (epĭ-)der. English epi- Derived from Ancient Greek ἐπῐ- (epĭ-), from ἐπί (epí).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: մակ- (mak-) — Translations
  • Catalan: epi- — Translations
  • Dutch: epi- — Translations
  • French: épi- — Translations
  • Galician: epi- — Translations
  • Greek: επι- (epi-) — Translations
  • Indonesian: epi- — Translations
  • Italian: epi- — Translations
  • Polish: epi- — Translations
  • Portuguese: epi- — Translations
  • Russian: эпи- (epi-) — Translations
  • Sicilian: epi- — Translations
  • Sicilian: supra- — Translations
  • Spanish: epi- — Translations