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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-

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

onto

But Madeleine Gabriel, director of sustainable future at Nesta, said: "Abolishing the gas standing charge and moving those costs onto the unit rate would help those worst hit by rising energy prices."

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

She swam from the open sea toward shore and climbed onto the sand, where guests had been encouraged to “stay dry and cheer loud from the beach.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Finally, the scientists used a tiny, specially fabricated oven to evaporate molecules onto the cold crystal, allowing them to settle on the clean surface.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

After the event, some of the Manhattanites peel off to attend a pool party, while the rest pile into the bus and turn back onto the Jericho Turnpike.

From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026

Zipping my backpack closed, I dump the last of the water from my watering can onto the soil of my potted fern, grab my hoodie from the end of my bed, and head downstairs.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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