51�Թ�

Ont- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “being.” It is occasionally used in technical terms, especially in philosophy.

The form ont- comes from Greek ṓn, meaning “being.” The Latin equivalents are ŧ�Բ�, ent- and essent- “being,” which are the sources of entity and essence.

Ont- is a variant of onto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. When used as a suffix at the end of a word, ont- becomes -ont, as in diplont. Want to know more? Read our 51�Թ�s That Use articles for onto- and -ont.

A technical term from philosophy that features the form ont- is ontic, “possessing the character of real rather than phenomenal existence; noumenal.”

The first part of the word, ont-, means “being.” The suffix -ic has a variety of meanings, including “having some characteristics of.” Ontic literally translates to “having some characteristics of being.”

What are some words that use the combining form ont-?

• ontal
• ontically

What are some other forms that ont- may be commonly confused with?

• onco-
• oneiro-
• oto-
• -on
• -ton

The suffix -ically is used to form adverbs. With this in mind, where would you put ontically in the following sentence?