eso-, prefix
(ˈɛsəʊ-)
[Gr. ἔσω within],
employed in a few compounds of modern formation from words of Greek origin, as esoenteˈritis, Path. [see enteritis], inflammation of the intestinal mucous membrane. esogaˈstritis, Path. [see gastritis], inflammation of the mucous lining of the stomach. esoˈnarthex [see narthex], the inner vestibule of a Greek church (cf. exonarthex). esoˈneural a. [see neural], operating within the nerves. esoˈscopic a. rare [Gr. -σκοπ-οα watching + -ic], (see quot.).
| 1847 Craig *Esoenterites. |
| 1850 Neale East. Ch. I. 245 The *esonarthex opens on to the church by nine doors, to the exonarthex by five. |
| 1851 H. Mayo Pop. Superst. (ed. 2) 73 The mental forces, or operations of a living human being, may be conceived to be essentially *esoneural. |
| 1816 Bentham Chrestom. Wks. (1838–43) VIII. 94 Division of Politics and Government into *Esoscopic, i.e. internal or interior-concerns-regarding, viz. Internal Government, and Exoscopic. |