Eohippus n.

word-forming element, used from mid-19c. (first in Eocene) in compound words formed by earth-scientists, and meaning "characterized by the earliest appearance of," from Greek ēōs "dawn, morning, daybreak," also the name of the goddess of the morning, from PIE root *aus- (1) "to shine," especially of the dawn. Piltdown Man, before exposed as a fraud, was known as Eoanthropus.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "horse." Perhaps related to *ōku- "swift."

It forms all or part of: alfalfa; Eohippus; equestrian; equine; equus; hippo-; hippocampus; Hippocratic; Hippocrene; hippocrepian; hippodrome; hippogriff; Hippolytus; hippopotamus; Philip; philippic; Philippines; Xanthippe.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit açva-, Avestan aspa-, Greek hippos, Latin equus, Old Irish ech, Old Church Slavonic ehu-, Old English eoh, Gothic aihwa- all meaning "horse."