er-

From Proto-Germanic *uz- in unstressed positions. The Middle Dutch er- prefix mostly merged with ver- and her- in Modern Dutch. The current prefix is therefore either a direct continuation of this prefix or loaned from Old High German ir-, Middle High German er-. A prefix with the same origin but in stressed positions is oor-.

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er-

1. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates the cause or beginning of an action.

• erachten
• erbarmen
• erbieden
• erdenken
• erdichten
• erduchten
• erkennen
• erlangen
• ervaren

From Old High German ir-, from Proto-Germanic *uz-.

• IPA^(key): /ɛɐ̯/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /ɛ/, /ɐ/ (common speech)

er-

1. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates a successful conclusion, leads to the wanted result.
2. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates killing or dying.

   ‎er- + ‎drücken (“to push, squeeze”) → ‎erdrücken (“to squeeze dead”)

   ‎er- + ‎frieren (“to freeze”) → ‎erfrieren (“to freeze to death”)

3. Prefix signifying a notion of getting something (either by conscious effort or (rarely) producing the effect of coming to have it unintentionally) by specific means.

   ‎er- + ‎arbeiten (“to work”) → ‎erarbeiten (“to gain something by means of working for it”)

From German er-, from Old High German ir- or from Low German er-, from Middle Low German er-, from Old Saxon ā-, both from Proto-Germanic *uz-.

er-

1. Inseparable verbal prefix that indicates an emphasizing meaning