in-

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "in"

English

Etymology 1

PIE word
*h₁én

From Middle English in-, from Old English in- (“in, into”, prefix), from Proto-Germanic *in, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én. More at in.

Alternative forms

Prefix

in-

  1. in, into, towards, within.
    inhold, inmove, intake, inthrill
    inborn, inbound
    infield, infighting, insight, intalk, inwork
    2. Inward (direction)
      inbeat is occurring on an inward beat, inbend is to bend or curve inwards, incave is to cave inward
    4. Within (position)
      inbreed is to produce or generate within, inburning is burning within, incircle is a circle within a polygon
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
English terms prefixed with in-
terms derived from in-: toward
terms derived from inward
terms derived from within
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English in-, borrowed (in words of Latinate origin) from Latin in-, from Latin in, from Proto-Indo-European *en (cognate to Germanic in-, above). Often borrowed from French in- (e.g. incise, incite, incline, indication), or as French en-, originally from Latin in.

Prefix

in-

  1. in, into
    Note: Before certain letters, in- becomes:
    2. Into
      imband is to form into a band or bands, imbar is to bar in, imbarn is to store in a barn
    4. Doing; forming verbs.
      inbland is to blend, inblind is to make blind, incloister is to cloister
    6. Having, possessing
      imbannered is having banners, inaureole is to have a halo, incarnate is be crimson
Usage notes

In direction sense, used in Latinate terms, and opposed by ex-, e-, rather than Germanic out-; senses not always strict antonyms. Examples include infiltrate/exfiltrate, ingress/egress, invade/evade.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
English terms prefixed with in-
terms derived from in-: direction
terms derived from in-: tendency
terms derived from into
terms derived from doing
terms derived from having

Etymology 3

PIE word
*ne

From Middle English in-, borrowed (in words of latinate origin) from Latin in- (“not”). Sometimes the Latin word has passed through French before reaching English (e.g. incapable, incertainty, inclement, incompatible). Doublet of un-.

Prefix

in-

  2. (non-productive) Used with certain words to reverse their meaning.
    Note: Before certain letters, in- becomes:
    2. (non-productive) Added to adjectives to mean not.
      inedible
      inaccurate
    4. Added to nouns to mean lacking or without.
      incredulity
      ineptitude
    6. Cannot, unable.
      inannihilable is that cannot be annihilated, inappellable is that cannot be appealed against, inassimilable is that cannot be assimilated
Synonyms
Derived terms
English terms prefixed with in-
terms derived from in-: reversing meaning
terms derived from not
terms derived from absence
terms derived from cannot
Related terms
Translations

See also

Anagrams

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin in- (“un-, not”).

Prefix

in- (before l il-, before b, m, or p im-, before r ir-)

  1. in-; un- (reversal of meaning or lack of an attribute)

Derived terms

Catalan terms prefixed with in-

Dutch

Etymology

From in.

Pronunciation

  • Audio(file)

Prefix

in-

  1. prepended to a noun or adjective, it reinforces the quality signified thereby
  2. prepended to an adjective to negate its meaning; occurs mostly in borrowed terms from French: in-, un-

Derived terms

Dutch terms prefixed with in-

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin in- (“un-, not”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (before a consonant) /ɛ̃/, (before a vowel) /in/
  • Audio(file)

Prefix

in-

  1. in-; un- (indicates negation)

Derived terms

French terms prefixed with in-

German

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *in, from Proto-Indo-European *en. More at in and inne-.

Prefix

in-

  1. (rare, only in nouns) in, inside, interior
    ‎in- + ‎Land (“land”) → ‎Inland (“domestic territory”)
    ‎in- + ‎Schrift (“writing”) → ‎Inschrift (“inscription”)
    ‎in- + ‎Sasse (“someone who sits”) → ‎Insasse (“passenger, inhabitant”)
    ‎in- + ‎Begriff (“concept”) → ‎Inbegriff (“embodiment”)
Usage notes
Alternative forms
Related terms

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin in-.

Prefix

in-

  1. (rarely productive, only with Latinate stems) in, into
    ‎in- + ‎filtrieren (“to filter”) → ‎infiltrieren (“to infiltrate”)

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Latin in-.

Prefix

in-

  1. (rarely productive, only with Latinate stems) in-, un- (indicates negation)
    Synonyms: un-, nicht-
    ‎in- + ‎konsequent (“consistent”) → ‎inkonsequent (“inconsistent”)
Derived terms
German terms prefixed with in-

Further reading

  • “in-” in Duden online
  • “in-” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Gothic

Romanization

in-

  1. Romanization of 𐌹𐌽-

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch in-, from French in-, from Latin in- (“un-, not”).

Pronunciation

Prefix

in-

  1. in-: used with certain words to reverse their meaning.

Derived terms

Indonesian terms prefixed with in-

Further reading

Irish

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Prefix

in-

  1. capable of, fit for, fit to be
    Antonym: do-

Etymology 2

From i, in (“in”).

Prefix

in-

  1. en-, in-, il-, im-, ir-
  2. endo-
  3. intra-
Alternative forms

Derived terms

Irish terms prefixed with in-

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
in- n-in- hin- t-in-
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “in-”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
  • Entries containing “in-” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

Italian

Alternative forms

  • im- (assimilated form before b-/m-/p-)
  • il- (assimilated form before l-)
  • ir- (assimilated form before r-)

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Latin in-, a prefixation of in (“in, into”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én.

Prefix

in-

  1. (forms verbs) used to denote derivation
  2. (obsolete, rare) used as an intensifier
Usage notes
  • The prefix is used together with a verbal ending suffix to derive causative verbs from adjectives or nouns:
Examples:
‎in- + ‎arido (“dry”, “arid”) → ‎inaridire (“to parch”, “to dry up”)
‎in- + ‎fiamma (“flame”) → ‎infiammare (“to enflame”, “to kindle”)
  • When used with verbs, it's usually a reflection of derivation in Latin, and retains the original meaning of “into”, “inside”:
Example:
‎in- + ‎fondere → ‎infondere (“to infuse”, “to instill”) (cfr. Latin īnfundere)
  • In some cases, the meaning of “into” can also be found in verbs of modern derivation:
Example:
‎in- + ‎carcere (“jail”, “prison”) → ‎incarcerare (“to imprison”, “to incarcerate”)

Etymology 2

From Latin in- (“un-, not”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, zero grade form of the sentence negative *ne.

Prefix

in-

  1. used to denote negation or opposition or privation; un-; in-; a-
Usage notes
  • The suffix is usually found in adjectives (and nouns therefrom derived):
Examples:
‎in- + ‎coerente (“coherent”, “consistent”) → ‎incoerente (“incoherent”, “inconsistent”)
‎in- + ‎abile (“able”, “capable”) → ‎inabile (“unable”, “incapable”)
‎in- + ‎felice (“happy”) → ‎infelice (“unhappy”)
‎in- + ‎desiderabile (“desirable; advisable”) → ‎indesiderabile (“undesirable, unwelcome”)
  • More rarely, it is found in adjectives derived from nouns:
Example:
‎in- + ‎colore (“colour/color”) → ‎incolore (“uncoloured/uncolored”)
Derived terms
Italian terms prefixed with in-

Anagrams

Latin

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *ən-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“not”), zero-grade form of the negative particle *ne (“not”). Akin to ne-, nē, nī.

Prefix

in-

  1. un-, non-, not
Usage notes

Affixed primarily to adjectives.

The pronunciation or spelling of the prefix may be changed in some situations:

  • Before b, p or m, it may become im-. The spelling in- is also found in this context.
    ‎in- + ‎barba (“beard”) → ‎imberbis (“beardless”) or inberbis.
    ‎in- + ‎patiēns (“patient”) → ‎impatiēns (“impatient”) or inpatiēns.
    ‎in- + ‎mātūrus (“mature”) → ‎immātūrus (“immature”) or inmātūrus.
  • Before l or r, it may become il- or ir-, respectively. These assimilations only became usual in post-Augustan Latin: until a late date, the usual Roman spellings were inl- and inr-.
    ‎in- + ‎labōrātus (“worked, toilsome”) → ‎illabōrātus (“unworked, uncultivated”) (post-Augustan) or inlabōrātus.
    ‎in- + ‎reverēns (“reverent”) → ‎irreverēns (“irreverent”) (post-Augustan) or inreverēns.
  • Before gn and sometimes n, it becomes ig- (pronounced ).
    ‎in- + ‎gnārus (“knowlegable”) → ‎ignārus (“ignorant”)
    ‎in- + ‎nōmen (“name”) → ‎ignōminia (“dishonor”)
  • Before f or s, it becomes īn- (pronounced ).
    ‎in- + ‎fīnītus (“finite”) → ‎īnfīnītus (“endless, infinite”)
    ‎in- + ‎sānus (“healthy, sane”) → ‎īnsānus (“mad, insane”)
  • Before g, c or q, the spelling remains in-, but the pronunciation becomes .
Derived terms
Latin terms prefixed with in- (not)
Descendants
  • → Catalan: in- (sometimes i-, or im- before p, b and m)
  • → French: in-
  • → Italian: in-
  • → Middle English: in-
  • → Portuguese: in- (im- before p or b, i- before l, n, or m, and ir- before r)
  • → Sicilian: n- (m- before p, b or m, il- before l, and ir- before r)
  • → Spanish: in- (im- before p or b, i- before l, and ir- before r)

Etymology 2

Prefixation of the preposition in.

Alternative forms

Prefix

in-

  1. Prepositional prefix, generally attached to verbs to derive new verbs with a range of meanings.
    1. in, within, inside
      ‎in- + ‎hālō (“breathe”) → ‎inhālō (“breathe in, inhale”)
    2. against; into; on, upon; to, towards
      ‎in- + ‎gradior (“step, go”) → ‎ingredior (“go into, enter”)
      ‎in- + ‎nūbō (“marry”) → ‎innūbō (“marry into”)
      ‎in- + ‎cadō (“fall”) → ‎incidō (“fall into, fall upon”)
      ‎in- + ‎pangō (“set, fix, settle, fasten”) → ‎impingō (“fasten upon, dash against, strike against”)
      ‎in- + ‎flīgō (“strike”) → ‎īnflīgō (“strike on, strike against, inflict, impose upon”)
      ‎in- + ‎vocō (“call”) → ‎invocō (“call on, call upon, invoke”)
    3. Used as an intensifier.
      ‎in- + ‎crepō (“I rattle”) → ‎increpō (“I rattle, rebuke”)
    4. Attached to inchoative verbs, can express the sense of a change being started or reaching partial completion
      ‎in- + ‎ārēscō (“I am drying, am growing drier”) → ‎inārēscō (“I start becoming dry, become somewhat dry”)
Usage notes

Affixed primarily to verbs.

The same spelling rules apply as for Etymology 1 above; see the usage notes there.

Not to be confused with Etymology 1 above, which means "not".

Derived terms
Latin terms prefixed with in- (in)
Descendants

Etymology 3

From Proto-Indo-European *énu (“along, after”). Cognate with Sanskrit अनु (ánu-, “after”), Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬎 (anu, “after; corresponding to”), Old Persian 𐎠𐎵𐎺 (a-nu-v /⁠anuv⁠/), and Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌿 (inu, “without”) (whose meaning developed “along” > “past” > “without”).

Alternative forms

Prefix

in-

  1. after
Derived terms
Latin terms prefixed with in- (after)

References

  1. ^ Walde, Alois, Hofmann, Johann Baptist (1938) “1. in-”, in Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), 3rd edition, volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, page 676f.
  2. ^ William Gardner Hale and Carl Darling Buck, 1903. Latin Grammar, page 25
  3. ^ Walde, Alois, Hofmann, Johann Baptist (1938) “2. in”, in Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), 3rd edition, volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, page 677f.
  4. ^ Haverling, Gerd. "On Prefixes and Actionality in Classical and Late Latin." Acta Linguistica Hungarica, vol. 50, no. 1–2, 2003, pp. 113–35, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26189816. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022. Page 117
  5. ^ Dunkel, George E. (2014) Lexikon der indogermanischen Partikeln und Pronominalstämme [Lexicon of Indo-European Particles and Pronominal Stems] (Indogermanische Bibliothek. 2. Reihe: Wörterbücher) (in German), volume 2: Lexikon, Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter GmbH Heidelberg, →ISBN, pages 241-44

Further reading

  • “in-”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 301

Maltese

Pronunciation

Article

in-

  1. Alternative form of il-

Usage notes

  • Used before the letter n. For details on usage, see the main lemma.

Northern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ̀-n-.

Prefix

in-

  1. Class 9 noun prefix.

Usage notes

The variant form im- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

Ojibwe

Initial

in- (root)

  1. Alternative form of iN-

Prefix

in-

  1. Alternative form of nin-

See also

Ojibwe personal prefixes
stem begins with... 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
Consonants p t k h ch m n s sh w y ni- gi- o-
d g ' j z zh nin-
b nim-
Vowels o nindo- gido- odo-
a aa e i nind- gid- od-
oo n- g-
ii w-

Old English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From in (“in”). More at in.

Prefix

in-

  1. in, into
    ‎in- + ‎ēþung (“breathing”) → ‎inēþung (“inspiration”)
  2. internal, inside
    ‎in- + ‎coþu (“disease”) → ‎incoþu (“internal disease”)
    ‎in- + ‎weorc (“work”) → ‎inweorc (“indoor work”)
Descendants
  • Middle English: in-

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *in- (“strong”, adj), from Proto-Indo-European *indʰro- (“swelling; strong”), from *oyd- (“to swell”).

Prefix

in-

  1. (intensifying) very
    ‎in- + ‎frōd (“wise”) → ‎infrōd (“very wise”)
    ‎in- + ‎dryhten (“noble”) → ‎indryhten (“very noble”)
Derived terms
Old English terms prefixed with in-

Old Irish

Etymology 1

From conflated Proto-Celtic *en- and Proto-Celtic *eni-; these two are variants of the same prefix. Prefix form of i. Conflated with ind- quite early.

Alternative forms

Prefix

in-

  1. in
Usage notes

Very frequently replaced by ad- in pretonic position in verbs where the meaning ‘in’ is not transparent, e.g.:

Sometimes replaced by as- in pretonic position in verbs where the meaning ‘in’ is not transparent, e.g.:

Derived terms
Old Irish terms prefixed with in- (in)

References

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *an-. In is the regular outcome of *an before voiced stops unless lowered to an via a-affection.

Prefix

in-

  1. Alternative form of an- (“un-, not”)
Usage notes

Used before d and g and occasionally other sounds.

Derived terms
Old Irish terms prefixed with in- (not)

References

  1. ^ Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940, reprinted 2003) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, § 872, page 544

Etymology 3

Prefix

in- (class C infixed pronoun)

  1. Alternative form of id-

Portuguese

Alternative forms

  • im- (before p or b)
  • ir- (before r)
  • i- (before m, n or l)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin in- (“un-, not”).

Prefix

in-

  1. un-; not

Derived terms

Portuguese terms prefixed with in-

Spanish

Alternative forms

  • im- (before p or b)
  • ir- (before r)
  • i- (before l)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin in- (“un-, not”).

Prefix

in-

  1. not (negation)

Derived terms

Spanish terms prefixed with in-

Further reading

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ̀-n-.

Prefix

in-

  1. Class 9 noun prefix.

Usage notes

The variant form im- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

Tagalog

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʔin/,
  • Hyphenation: in-

Prefix

in- (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜈ᜔)

  1. Prefix form of -in-.

Derived terms

Tagalog terms prefixed with in-

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ̀-n-.

Prefix

in-

  1. Class 9 noun prefix.

Usage notes

The variant form im- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v).

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *jɪ̀-n-.

Prefix

ín-

  1. Class 9 noun prefix.

Usage notes

The variant form im- is used before stems beginning with a labial consonant (b, f, m, p, v). Before l, m or n, the prefix becomes i-.

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia