er-

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- in unstressed positions. The Middle Dutch er- prefix mostly merged with ver- and her- in Modern Dutch. The current prefix is therefore either a direct continuation of this prefix or loaned from Old High German ir-, Middle High German er-. A prefix with the same origin but in stressed positions is oor-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ər/, /ɛr/

• Audio:

  (file)

Prefix

er-

1. inseparable verbal prefix that indicates the cause or beginning of an action

Etymology

From Middle High German er-, from Old High German ir-, from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz-. Cognate with Old Saxon ā-, English a-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛɐ̯/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /ɛ/, /ɐ/ (common speech)

• Audio:

  (file)

Prefix

er-

1. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates a successful conclusion, leads to the wanted result.

   ‎er- + ‎wachsen (“to grow”) → ‎erwachsen (“to arise”)

2. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates killing or dying.

   ‎er- + ‎drücken (“to push, squeeze”) → ‎erdrücken (“to squeeze dead”)

   ‎er- + ‎frieren (“to freeze”) → ‎erfrieren (“to freeze to death”)

3. Prefix signifying a notion of getting something by some means, usually through conscious effort.

   ‎er- + ‎arbeiten (“to work”) → ‎erarbeiten (“to gain something by means of working for it”)

Etymology

From German er-, from Old High German ir-, and/or from Middle Low German er-, from Old Saxon ā-, both from Proto-Germanic *uz-.

Prefix

er-

1. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates an emphasizing meaning

Anagrams

• -re, re-

Etymology

From Proto-Tocharian *er- (whence also Tocharian A ar-), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to move, stir”).

Verb

er-

1. to evoke, call up
2. to produce, yield, bring forth

Further reading

• Adams, Douglas Q. (2013) “er-”, in A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 10), Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, pages 98-99

Etymology

i-affected form of ar-.

Prefix

er-

1. on, above, sur-, super-, epi-

   ‎er- + ‎glynu (“to attach”) → ‎erlyn (“to pursue, prosecute”)

Mutation

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “er-”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies