Eu- | Meaning Of Prefix Eu- By Etymonline

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Origin and history of eu-

eu-

word-forming element, in modern use meaning "good, well," from Greek eus "good," eu "well" (adv.), also "luckily, happily" (opposed to kakos), as a noun, "the right, the good cause," from PIE *(e)su- "good" (source also of Sanskrit su- "good," Avestan hu- "good"), originally a suffixed form of root *es- "to be." In compounds the Greek word had more a sense of "greatness, abundance, prosperity," and was opposed to dys-.

Entries linking to eu-

aneuploidy(n.)

abnormal number of chromosomes, 1934, from adjective aneuploid (1931), Modern Latin, coined 1922 by G. Täckholm from Greek an- "not, without" (see an- (1)) + euploid, from Greek eu "well, good" (see eu-) + -ploid, from -ploos "fold" (from PIE root *pel- (2) "to fold").

eubacteria(n.)

singular eubacterium, 1939, coined in German 1930; see eu-, here meaning "good," + bacteria. Classically, as an adverb, eu should form compounds only with verbs.

• Euboea
• eucalyptus
• Eucharist
• Euclidean
• eudaemonic
• Eudora
• eugenics
• euhemerism
• eukaryotic
• eulogy
• Eumenides
• Eunice
• eupeptic
• euphemism
• euphony
• euphoria
• Euphrosyne
• Euripus
• See All Related Words (28)

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eugenics"doctrine of progress in evolution of the human race, race-culture," 1883, coined (along with adjective eugenic) by English scientist Francis Galton (1822-1911) on analogy of ethics, physics, etc. from Greek eugenes "well-born, of good stock, of noble race," from eu- "good" (see euhemerism1846, "the method of regarding myths as glorified accounts of actual events or persons," with -ism + name of Euhemerus, Greek philosopher of Sicily (4c. B.C.E.), who wrote "Iera Anagraphe," in which he maintained the Greek deities actually were historical mortals. His name is liteuphemism1650s, from Greek euphemismos "use of a favorable word in place of an inauspicious one, superstitious avoidance of words of ill-omen during religious ceremonies," also of substitutions such as Eumenides for the Furies. This is from euphemizein "speak with fair words, use words ofutopiaCommonly, but incorrectly, taken as from Greek eu- "good" (see eu-) an error reinforced by the introduction of dystopia (...spoutflow, spout"), North Frisian spütji "spout, squirt," Swedish sputa "to spout," from Proto-Germanic *sput- (from PIE *sp(y)eu...clueThe word, which is native Germanic, in Middle English was clewe, also cleue; some words borrowed from Old French in -ue, -eu...turpitude"depravity, infamy, inherent baseness or vileness," late 15c., from Old French turpitude (early 15c.), from Latin turpitudinem (nominative turpitudo) "baseness," from turpis "vile, foul, physically ugly, base, unsightly," figuratively "morally ugly, scandalous, shameful," a word rehabilitation1530s, "act of reinstating in a former rank or standing," from French réhabilitation and directly from Medieval Latin rehabilitationem (nominative rehabilitatio) "restoration," noun of action from past-participle stem of rehabilitare, from re- "again" (see re-) + habitare "make fpledgemid-14c., plegge, "surety, bail," from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) "hostage, security, bail," also Anglo-Latin plegium, both probably from Frankish *plegan "to guarantee," from *pleg-, a West Germanic root meaning "have responsibility for" (source also of Old Saxon plmasterlate Old English mægester "a man having control or authority over a place; a teacher or tutor of children," from Latin magister (n.) "chief, head, director, teacher" (source of Old French maistre, French maître, Spanish and Italian maestro, Portuguese mestre, Dutch meester, Germa

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu-CopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu-">Etymology of eu- by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of eu-. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved December 30, 2025, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu-CopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of eu-," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed December 30, 2025, https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu-.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of eu-." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu-. Accessed 30 December, 2025.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of eu-." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/eu- (accessed December 30, 2025).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

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TrendingDictionary entries near eu-

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• eu-
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• eubacteria
• Euboea
• eucalyptus
• Eucharist

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