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• onto
  onto

  preposition

  to a place or position on; upon; on.
• onto-
  onto-

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

onto

¹ American  

[on-too, awn-, on-tuh, awn-] / ˈɒn tu, ˈɔn-, ˈɒn tə, ˈɔn- /

preposition

1. to a place or position on; upon; on.

   to get onto a horse.

2. Informal. in or into a state of awareness about.

   I'm onto your scheme.

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adjective

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

onto- ² American  

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

   ontogeny.

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onto ¹ British  

/ ˈɒntə, ˈɒntʊ /

preposition

1. to a position that is on

   step onto the train as it passes

2. having become aware of (something illicit or secret)

   the police are onto us

3. into contact with

   get onto the factory

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onto- ² British  

combining form

1. existence or being

   ontogeny

   ontology

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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:

• onto vs. one-to-one
• unto vs. onto

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

onto

Then we started putting things we wouldn’t otherwise have bought onto a credit card.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

“They have been doing it for so long that they have a shorthand, if you don’t get your words out fast enough, they’ve sped past onto a million other ideas,”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Saudi Aramco, the country’s state-controlled oil giant, is loading more oil onto tankers in the Persian Gulf and then taking its chances sending them through the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

It projected a 3D model of an arm onto the wound.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

He turns swiftly, bends, and heaves himself onto the wagon perch.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes