Words that start with E

An envelope is a special paper container that you put letters into to send them to other people. It costs money to send a letter. You have to buy a stamp to put on it to send it.

Envy is being resentful of something that someone else has. Sometimes, people who are envious will wish the other person doesn't have the coveted item either.
Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

The equator is an imaginary line drawn around the earth that is equally distant from the north and south poles, dividing the earth into hemispheres.

The join around the middle of the globe in the picture is the equator.

Ermine is a name used for a stoat or weasel in its white winter coat.

Erosion is the process by which something becomes eroded. Something is eroded by being worn away slowly over time, usually from the action of wind or running water. Even the hardest rock can slowly become eroded.
Erosion is only a problem if it happens too fast. When people cut down a lot of trees and plants all at the same time, there is nothing to hold the dirt together so it either gets blown away by the wind or washed away by rain. Once the soil has eroded away there is nothing to grow plants in for food, and the land becomes useless. The picture is of some bad erosion around a creek.

An escalator is a set of moving stairs that is usually found in shopping centers or airports. They move so people don't need to climb up them.

Espalier is a pruning technique that shapes plants into a flat growth pattern, usually against a wall or fence. Espaliered trees take up a lot less space than trees left to grow naturally, so it is a popular technique in small gardens.

An essay is short piece of writing on a subject.

Evaporation is the process of a liquid slowly turning into a gas. You see evaporation in everyday life when you hang out washing (laundry) or something else wet to dry. Evaporation happens when the molecules in the liquid get enough energy - usually from sunlight - to break through the surface of the liquid and float away. You can see the fist in the picture is steaming as the water from a hot shower evaporates away.

Evil means very bad behaviour that causes harm or is very unfair or unkind.

In fiction, the "bad guy" in any story is evil.