The term e-waste as an abbreviation for electronic waste takes inspiration from the use of the e- prefix as in e-mail, e-commerce, e-learning, etc. It differs from these examples however in that the e- prefix relates to electronic in its basic sense (‘using electricity and electrical parts’), as opposed to denoting the idea expressed in the Macmillan Online Dictionary as ‘on or using the Internet’.

The term e-waste as an abbreviation for electronic waste takes inspiration from the use of the e- prefix as in e-mail, e-commerce, e-learning, etc. It differs from these examples however in that the e- prefix relates to electronic in its basic sense (‘using electricity and electrical parts’), as opposed to denoting the idea expressed in the Macmillan Online Dictionary as ‘on or using the Internet’.