Etymograph

English

insobriety

From in- (“not”) + sobriety, possibly influenced by and punning on inebriation, intoxication, where in- has the sense “in, into”.

Formed from in- ‘not’ + sobriety

Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’

Proto-Germanic *in ‘into’

English in-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁egʷʰ- ‘to drink’

…

Latin ēbrius ‘intoxicated’

Latin sōbrius ‘sober (not drunk)’

Latin sobrietas

Old French sobriete

English sobriety

The story

From in- (‘not’) + sobriety, possibly influenced by and punning on inebriation, intoxication, where in- has the sense “in, into”.

Today it means

noun The state of being drunk; a lack of sobriety.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / insobriety