er-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "er"

Dutch

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

Derived terms

Dutch terms prefixed with er-

• erachten
• erbarmen
• erbieden
• erdenken
• erdichten
• erduchten
• erkennen
• erlangen
• ervaren

German

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.
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”)

Usage notes

• In sense 3, the prefix is of almost unlimited productivity, provided that the underlying verb has initial stress. Such random constructs as sich etwas ertanzen (“to get something by dancing”), sich etwas erkuscheln (“to get something by cuddling”), etwas ergoogeln (“to find information by googling it”), etc., are all possible and intelligible.

Derived terms

German terms prefixed with er-

Derived terms

• erbarmen
• erbauen
• erbeben
• erbeten
• erbetteln
• erbeuten
• erbieten
• erbitten
• erbohren
• erborgen
• erbrausen
• erbrechen
• erbrüten
• erdichten
• ereignen
• erfahren
• erfassen
• erfechten
• erfeilschen
• erfinden
• erfliegen
• erfochten
• erfolgen
• erforschen
• erfreuen
• erfrieren
• erfüllen
• ergänzen
• ergeben
• ergehen
• ergründen
• erhalten
• erhängen
• erheben
• erhellen
• erhitzen
• erhoffen
• erhöhen
• erholen
• erinnern
• erkälten
• erkaufen
• erkennen
• erklären
• erkranken
• erlauben
• erleben
• erledigen
• erleichtern
• erleuchten
• erlösen
• ernähren
• eröffnen
• erpressen
• erreichen
• erschallen
• erscheinen
• erschießen
• erschöpfen
• erschrecken
• erschweren
• ersehnen
• ersparen
• erstaunen
• ertragen
• ertrinken
• ertüfteln
• erwähnen
• erwarten
• erwecken
• erweisen
• erweitern
• erwerben
• erzählen
• erzeugen
• erziehen
• erzielen
• erzittern
• erzwingen

Swedish

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

Derived terms

Swedish terms prefixed with er-

Derived terms

• erbarmlig
• erbjuda
• erfara
• erhålla
• oerhörd
• erkänna
• erlägga
• ernå
• ersätta
• ertappa
• erövra

Anagrams

• -re, re-

Tocharian B

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

Welsh

Etymology

i-affected form of ar-.

Prefix

er-

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

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

Derived terms

Welsh terms prefixed with er-

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	h-prothesis
er-	unchanged	unchanged	her-
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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