English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

"I" Word Origins

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

“I” Word Origins

From Latin ingeniositas.

From Latin ingeniosus, "gifted with genius," from ingenium, "natural talent."

Borrowed from French ingénue, the feminine form of ingénu (“guileless”), originally from the Latin ingenuus (“ingenuous”).

From Latin ingenuitas, related to "ingenious."

From Latin ingenuus, meaning native-born or free-born, and hence noble or frank in character.

From Latin ingerere, "to carry in."

From Latin ingestio, "a pouring in," related to "ingest."

From ingle (“open fireplace”) + nook.

From Old English Engla, genitive plural of Engle (“the English, the Angles”) + wudu (“woods, forest”).

Inherited from Middle English engreynen, from the French phrase en grain; reinforced by the phrase (dyed) in grain. See grain.

From "ingrain" + "-ed" — originally about dyeing fabric so deeply the color became part of the fiber.

From Proto-Germanic elements meaning "Ing" (a Germanic god) and "raven."

From Latin ingratus, "not pleasing," from "in-" ("not") + gratus ("pleasing" — the same root as "grateful").

First attested in 1622. From Italian ingraziare or Medieval Latin *ingratiatus, from Latin in grātiam (“for the favor of”).

From "in-" ("not") + "gratitude."

From Latin ingrediens, "entering into," from ingredi, "to go into."

From Latin ingressus, from the verb ingredior.

From Swedish, Norwegian and Danish Ingrid, from Old Norse Ingiríðr.

From Latin inguinālis, from inguen.

From the participle stem of Latin ingurgitāre, from in- + gurges (“whirlpool”).

From Latin inhabitare, from "in-" ("in") + habitare ("to dwell").

From inhabit + -able.

From inhabitant + -cy or inhabit + -ancy.

From Latin inhabitans, present participle of inhabitare, "to inhabit."

From "inhale" + "-ation."

From Latin inhalare, "to breathe on," from "in-" + halare ("to breathe").

From "inhale" + "-er."

From Latin inhaerens, "closely attached to" — the same root as "adhere."

From "inherent" + "-ly."

From Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare, "to make an heir."

From Anglo-Norman enheritaunce, related to "inherit."

From Middle English enheriter, enheritour. Displaced Old English ierfenuma. By surface analysis, inherit + -or.

From inheritor + -ess.

From Latin inhibere, "to hold in, restrain," from "in-" + habere ("to have, hold").

From Latin inhibitio, "a holding back," built from the verb inhibere, "to restrain."

From late 15th century (early modern English). Formed as inhibit + -ory or adapted from Medieval Latin inhibitōrius and Middle French inhibitoire.

From Medieval Latin inhospitabilis, simply "not hospitable" — in- ("not") plus hospitable.

From Latin inhumanus, "not human" — in- ("not") plus humanus.

From Latin in- 'not' plus humanus 'human, humane', the same root that gives human and humanity.

From inhumane + -ness.

From Latin inhumanitas, "lack of humanity," from inhumanus plus the noun-forming suffix -itas.

From Late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus 'enemy', formed from in- 'not' and amicus 'friend'.

From iniquity + -ous (suffix forming adjectives indicating the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)).

From Latin iniquitas, "unfairness," from iniquus, "unequal or unjust" — literally in- ("not") plus aequus ("equal, fair").

From Latin initialis, "of the beginning," from initium, "a start or entrance."

From initial + -ize.