English
intimation
Intimation comes from Latin intimatio ‘demonstration, exposition’, from intimus ‘inmost, innermost, most intimate’, 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
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEin‘in, at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintus‘within’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimus‘inmost, innermost, most intimate’superlative of intus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimatio‘demonstration, exposition’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600intimation
- Englishearliest quotation 1603intimation
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
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEin‘in, at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintus‘within’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimus‘inmost, innermost, most intimate’superlative of intus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEintimatio‘demonstration, exposition’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600intimation
- Englishearliest quotation 1603intimation
Earliest quotation: 1603, Plutarch, The Philosophie: “They made an edict with an intimation that whosoever…”
Equivalent to intimate + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
…
Latin intus ‘within’
Latin intimus ‘inmost, innermost, most intimate’
Latin intimō ‘to put or bring into, to impress, to make…’
Latin intimātus
English intimate
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, entrance, indigenous, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 32 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
impulse, incense, incubation, incubus, impel, incubate, censer, 8 more
through Latin in ‘in, at’
encounter, ensemble, envelop, emplacement, agog, 6 more
through Latin intus ‘within’
Today it means
noun A hint; an indirect suggestion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / intimation