English
in-
In- comes from Proto-Germanic *in ‘into’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*in‘into’reconstructed
- Englishtodayin-
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*in‘into’reconstructed
- Englishtodayin-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
internal, entrance, encounter, indigenous, intimate, ensemble, impulse, intern, incense, intestine, incubation, endo, dysentery, impel, incubus, incubate, agog, enteral, censer, interregnum, intimation, 31 more
through Proto-Germanic *in ‘into’
Another origin of in-
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*enreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEin‘in, at, on, upon, from (space)’
- Englishtodayin-
Often borrowed from French in- (e.g. incise, incite, incline, indication), or as French en-, originally from Latin in.
Another origin of in-
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*né‘not’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*n̥-‘not’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*n̥-‘un-’reconstructed
- Englishtodayin-
Sometimes the Latin word has passed through French before reaching English (e.g. incapable, incertainty, inclement, incompatible).
Today it means
prefix in, into, towards, within.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / in-