Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ecto-” come from?

ecto- (English) comes from Ancient Greek ἐκτός, from Ancient Greek γνάθος, from Proto-Indo-European ǵn̥h₂dʰ-os, from Proto-Indo-European ǵneh₂dʰ-.

ecto- (English): outside

Definitions

  1. outside

Ancestry of “ecto-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekἐκτόςwithout, outside, out; external, strange, vulgar;...
2Ancient Greekγνάθοςjaw; point, edge; type of stone
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵn̥h₂dʰ-os—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵneh₂dʰ-—

Words derived from “ecto-”

  • ectoderm
  • ectodermal
  • ectoplasm
  • neuroectodermal
  • ectodomain
  • ectoplasmic
  • trophectoderm
  • neuroectoderm
  • ectothermic
  • ectoparasitic
  • ectoparasite
  • ectocervix
  • ectomycorrhiza
  • ectomorph
  • ectomorphic
  • ectomesenchyme
  • ectal
  • ectogenesis
  • ectocervical
  • ectotherm
  • neurectoderm
  • ectoplacental
  • ectocranial
  • trophectodermal
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵneh₂dʰ- →