Prefix · upon / over / after
Signals upon, over, or after: epidemic, epilogue, epicenter, epidermis, episode.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Epi- comes from the Greek epi, which means "upon", "over" or "after". It shows a higher position, something added to another thing or a starting point. Its exact sense changes with the word, but almost always there is something "on top of" or "in addition to" something else.
In texts, epi- marks parts that come before or after the main body, like a quote at the start or a closing at the end. In geography, it names the point on the surface right above where an earthquake begins. In biology, it talks about what acts "above" genes without changing them. They are different fields with the same idea: something on top of something else.
Attaches to scientific, literary, and technical nouns:
Pronunciation: /ˈepi/.
epi-/ˈepi/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
"Epidemic" (epi- = upon + demos = people) = a disease spreading within a specific region or community. "Pandemic" (pan- = all + demos = people) = a disease spreading globally. COVID-19 was first an epidemic (Wuhan, China), then declared a pandemic when it spread worldwide. Geographic reach is the defining distinction.
The "conclusion" is part of the main body of a text, wrapping up the argument. The "epilogue" is an additional section that comes AFTER the formal conclusion, often telling the reader what happens to characters after the story ends, or offering an author's final thoughts. A text can have a conclusion without having an epilogue.
A trick to remember it
Picture one layer placed on top of another: epi- = on top of. epidemic, epicenter (the point right above the earthquake's center).
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"The author added an ___ set ten years after the final chapter, revealing what became of each character."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What is the key difference between "epidemic" and "pandemic"?
The prefix epi- signals upon, over, or after: epidemic, epilogue, epicenter, epidermis, episode.
The prefix epi- is pronounced /ˈepi/. For example, "epidemic".
"demic" becomes "epidemic". It is a typical example of the epi- prefix.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.