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.

---

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.

---

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

---

onto- ² British  

combining form

1. existence or being

   ontogeny

   ontology

---

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

On Sunday and Monday, the 147 horses were finally loaded onto trucks, driven to the airport, and secured inside special air stables for their flights to the Horse Inn.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oil is pumped to the island through subsea pipelines and stored in massive storage facilities before being loaded onto tankers.

From The Wall Street Journal

At peak occupancy, P.A.I.N. members unfolded their banners along the railings, threw themselves onto the floor alongside the pill bottles and cast the prescription slips into the air, letting them cascade toward the ground to cover their bodies in a die-in protest.

From Salon

Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization when a mixture of natural rubber and sulphur accidentally fell onto a hot surface.

From Science Daily

Affidavits from five Cuban men described being forced onto buses on several occasions and driven to Santa Teresa, N.M., a remote, one-lane border crossing where tumbleweeds pile up against an 18-foot-tall border wall.

From The Wall Street Journal