onto
1 Americanpreposition
-
to a position that is on
step onto the train as it passes
-
having become aware of (something illicit or secret)
the police are onto us
-
into contact with
get onto the factory
combining form
Usage
What does onto- mean? Onto- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “being.” It is occasionally used in technical terms, especially in philosophy.The form onto- comes from Greek ṓn, meaning “being.” The Latin equivalents are ēns, ent- and essent- “being,” which are the sources of entity and essence.What are variants of onto-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, onto- becomes ont-, as in ontic. When used as a suffix at the end of a word, onto- becomes -ont, as in diplont. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for ont- and -ont.
Etymology
Origin of onto1
First recorded in 1575–85; on + to
Origin of onto-2
< New Latin < Greek ont- (stem of ón, neuter present participle of eînai to be) + -o- -o-
Compare meaning
How does onto compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the slightest hint that your ordeal is about to end, you immediately project all your hopes and dreams onto that illusion.
But now unregulated peptides have exploded onto the wellbeing market since GLP-1s, weight loss drugs, became mainstream.
From BBC
At the Port of Houston this past week, a crane loaded trucks, generators and machinery onto the Roibeira as it prepared to set sail to Venezuela, the second vessel from the shipping company International Frontier Forwarders to head to the South American nation.
From Barron's
On a cracked two-lane road on the eastern edge of San Diego County, James Cordero eased his Jeep onto the shoulder after something caught his eye.
From Los Angeles Times
Nervous residents in Dubai’s Palm and Marina developments hurried onto their balconies to get a glimpse of the action.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
