ONTO Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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onto

[on-too, awn-, on-tuh, awn-]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

preposition

to a place or position on; upon; on.
to get onto a horse.
Informal.��in or into a state of awareness about.
I'm onto your scheme.

adjective

Mathematics.��Also pertaining to a function or map from one set to another set, the range of which is the entire second set.

onto-

a combining form meaning “being,” used in the formation of compound words.
ontogeny.

onto

/ ˈɒntə, ˈɒntʊ /

preposition

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

onto-

combining form

existence or being
ontogeny
ontology

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Usage

Onto is now generally accepted as a word in its own right. On to is still used, however, where on is considered to be part of the verb: he moved on to a different town as contrasted with he jumped onto the stage

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of onto¹

First recorded in 1575–85; on + to

Origin of onto²

< New Latin < Greek ont- (stem of ó��, neuter present participle of ��î�Բ�� to be) + -o- -o-

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of onto¹

from Late Greek, from ō�� (stem ont- ) being, present participle of einai to be

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Two men showed up at Adrien Frier’s Beverly Hills home Thursday afternoon and carried an unusual package onto the backyard patio, where a white-clothed table waited.

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Flanagan might portray Marty as the last remaining pillar of his community, but Marty’s characterization is too thin to grasp onto, and Flanagan spends far more time depicting a world crumbling at our feet.

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Singer Becky G, a founding investor in Angel City, read the following statement as players walked onto the field for introductions before the game:

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This is the president's first such foray onto the world stage since his inauguration and his six partners will be looking anxiously to see whether he wants to pick a fight - or look statesmanlike - for voters back home.

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Ray is still loading tools onto his truck and driving to landscaping, tree-trimming and irrigation jobs across L.A., as he’s done for more than 30 years.

From

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When To Use

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 ŧ�Բ�, 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 51�Թ�s That Use articles for ont- and -ont.

on tiptoe on to

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