ecto-

Meanings

1. Outside.
2. Ghost-related.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs Proto-Hellenic *eks Ancient Greek ἐκ (ek) Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *h₁éntos Proto-Hellenic *entós Ancient Greek ἐντός (entós) Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós)der. English ecto- From Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós, “outside”). Sense 2 ("ghost-related") is a reinterpretation of this prefix in the word ectoplasm (“paranormal substance believed to be involved in the materialization of the dead”), for the etymology of which see there.