"I" Word Origins

initiate

Latin

From Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare, "to begin or induct," from initium, "a beginning."

initiation

Latin

From Latin initiatio, "a beginning or admission," from initiare, "to begin, induct."

initiative

Latin

From French initiative, ultimately from Latin initium, "a beginning."

initiator

Origin

Borrowed from Latin initiātor. By surface analysis, initiate + or.

inject

Latin

From Latin inicere/injicere, "to throw into," from in- plus iacere, "to throw."

injection

Latin

From Latin iniectio, "a throwing in," from inicere, "to throw into."

injector

Origin

From inject + -or.

injudicial

Origin

From in- + judicial.

injudiciousness

Origin

From injudicious + -ness.

injun

Origin · 1800

A dialect spelling of "Indian," first recorded in the early 1800s.

injunction

Latin

From Latin iniunctio, "a joining or command," from iniungere, "to enjoin, impose."

injure

Latin

A back-formation from injury, ultimately from Latin iniuria, "wrong, injustice."

injurious

Latin

From Latin iniuriosus, "wrongful, injurious," from iniuria, "injustice."

injury

Latin

From Anglo-Norman injurie, from Latin iniuria, "a wrong or injustice," from in- ("not") plus ius, "right, law."

injustice

Latin

From Latin iniustitia, "unfairness," built from in- ("not") plus iustitia ("justice").

ink

Old French

From Old French enque, ultimately from Greek enkauston, "burned in" — the purple ink Roman emperors used to sign documents.

inkling

Middle English

From a Middle English word for a whisper or hint, likely tangled up over time with inkle, "to hint."

inky

Origin

From Inq(uisitor) + -y, as a term of endearment.

inland

Old English

From Old English inland, simply in- plus land.

inlet

Middle English

From Middle English inlate, related to the verb inleten, "to let in."

inlighted

Origin

From Middle English inlighted, from Old English inlīhted, past participle of inlīhtan (“to illuminate, enlighten”), equivalent to inlight + -ed. More at inlight.

inly

Origin

From Middle English inly, from Old English inlīc (“inner, inward”), equivalent to in + -ly.

inmate

Origin

From inn plus -mate, or possibly in- plus -mate — originally meaning simply someone who lodges together with others.

inmigration

Origin

From in- + migration.

inn

Old English

From Old English inn, "a dwelling or lodging."

innards

Origin

An altered form of inwards.

innate

Latin

From Latin innatus, "inborn," from in- ("in") plus nasci ("to be born") — related to native and natal.

inner

Old English

From Old English innera, the comparative form of inne, "within."

innermost

Old English

From Old English innemest, built from inner plus the superlative ending -most.

innerstanding

Origin

Blend of inner + understanding.

inning

Origin

A back-formation from innings, mistakenly treated as if the -s were a plural ending rather than part of the original word.

innings

Origin

Originally the plural of inn used as a verb meaning "to house corn," later extended to mean a turn or spell.

innkeeper

Middle English

From Middle English inkeper, simply inn plus keeper.

innocence

Latin

From Latin innocentia, "harmlessness," from innocens, "not harmful" — in- ("not") plus nocens ("harmful").

innocency

Origin

From Middle English innocencie, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocence.

innocent

Latin

From Old French innocent, based on Latin innocens, literally "not harming" — in- ("not") plus nocens ("harming"), from the verb nocere, "to hurt."

innocently

Origin

Built from innocent plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

innocuous

Latin

From Latin innocuus, "harmless" — in- ("not") plus nocuus ("harmful").

innominate

Origin

From Latin innōminātus, from in- (“not”) + nōminātus (“named”).

innovate

Latin

From Latin innovare, "to renew" — in- ("into") plus novus ("new").

innovation

Latin

From Latin innovatio, from innovare, "to renew."

innovative

Origin

From innovate plus the adjective suffix -ive.

innovator

Late Latin

From Late Latin innovator, from innovare, "to renew."

innovatory

Origin

From innovate + -ory.

innoxious

Origin

From Latin innoxius.

innuendo

Latin

From Latin innuendo, "by nodding" — literally the gerund of innuere, "to give a nod, hint at."

innumerable

Latin

From Latin innumerabilis — in- ("not") plus numerabilis ("countable").

Ino

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek Ἰνώ (Inṓ).