[1825–35; epi- + spore]This word is first recorded in the period 1825–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: breakdown, cross section, individualism, spiritualism, structuralepi- is a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “upon,” “on,” “over,”“near,” “at,” “before,” “after” (epicedium; epidermis; epigene; epitome). On this model, epi- is used in the formation of new compound words (epicardium; epinephrine)