Onto
/ˈɔn.tu/ adj, prep, slang
adj, prep, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Attaining each of the values in its codomain; having its image equal to its codomain. not-comparable
"Considered as a function on the real numbers, the exponential function is not onto, as it never takes on values less than or equal to zero."
Preposition
- 1 Arriving upon or on top of (speaking of a physical or metaphorical movement).
"My cat just jumped onto the keyboard."
- 2 Aware of. informal
"The thought-police were onto my plans of world domination."
- 3 Being an onto function with a codomain of (see below).
"The exponential function maps the set of real numbers onto the set of positive real numbers."
Example
More examples"Try as you might, but you cannot force a belief onto someone else, much less your own self."
Etymology
From on + to, after into. Compare Saterland Frisian antou (“up to”).