English
impel
Impel comes from Latin impellō ‘to push, drive or strike against something’, from Proto-Italic *pelnō ‘to approach’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pelnō‘to approach’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpellō‘to push, drive or strike against something’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500impellen
- Englishearliest quotation 1918impel
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pelnō‘to approach’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpellō‘to push, drive or strike against something’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500impellen
- Englishearliest quotation 1918impel
Earliest quotation: 1918, William Babington Maxwell, Indianapolis: “She was a fat, round little woman, richly apparelled…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, entrance, indigenous, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
encounter, intimate, ensemble, intestine, agog, intimation, 7 more
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
infirmary, incense, incubation, infirm, incubus, incubate, censer, 6 more
through Proto-Italic *pelnō ‘to approach’
through Latin pellō ‘push, drive’
appeal, pulse, repeal, compulsory, propulsion, expulsion, compulsive, appellate, expel, propel, repel, dispel, compel, pelt, rappel, 15 more
through Latin impellō ‘to push, drive or strike against something’
Today it means
verb To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / impel