English word origin

Etymology of i-

From Middle English i-, y-, ȝe-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱó-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with, near, by, along”). Cognate with Dutch g

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

prefix

Used to form past participles of verbs. Alternative spelling of y-.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentioni-enm
Inherited-form mentionġe-ang
Inherited-form mention*ga-gmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*ga-gem-pro
Inherited-form mention*ḱó-ine-pro
Derivation mention*ḱómine-pro · with, near, by, along
Cognate mentionge-nl
Cognate mentionge-nds
Cognate mentionge-de

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "i-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English i-"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "ġe-"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ġe-"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*ga-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *ga-"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*ga-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *ga-"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*ḱó-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *ḱó-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*ḱóm",
        "t": "with, near, by, along"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with, near, by, along”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "ge-"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch ge-"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "ge-"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German ge-"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "ge-"
      },
      "expansion": "German ge-"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "i-",
      "i-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "y-",
      "y-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "ȝe-",
      "ȝe-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "ġe-",
      "ge-#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*ga-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/ga-"
    ],
    [
      "*ga-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ga-"
    ],
    [
      "*ḱó-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ḱó-"
    ],
    [
      "*ḱóm",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ḱóm"
    ],
    [
      "ge-",
      "ge-#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "ge-",
      "ge-#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "je-",
      "je-#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "e-",
      "e-#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "ge-",
      "ge-#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form past participles of verbs. Alternative spelling of y-."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme",
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "c3c1526d09a1bb02234075e2ba26ac04714f0e59f53ac81a94830bc5fffe4d74",
      "rawRecordSha256": "9e4788081904d81f1866107abea6655ff3097c3c7d9cebd9d5a991021b88d8f8",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 486127
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

prefix

A form of the prefix in-, used before gn, as in ignoble, ignominy, and ignore.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Latin i-, assimilated form of in- used before gn-.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentioni-la

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "i-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin i-"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "i-",
      "i-#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "A form of the prefix in-, used before gn, as in ignoble, ignominy, and ignore."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
      "recordId": "f69d9f665717214567bd41ff01c56faccc2aeecfae773a7972069480c42691c4",
      "rawRecordSha256": "243b23727944eabbe5e79b3c89ba62d30ba56380f0f8b77c7da73d4358ff49d3",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 486128
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

prefix

Pertaining to the Internet. · Pertaining to digital devices and computer programs, especially those that are cutting-edge or fashionable, and those from Apple.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *-tér Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥tér Proto-Italic *n̥ter Latin inter Latin inter-bor. English inter- Proto-Germanic *natją Proto-West Germanic *nati Old English nett Middle English net English net Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom Proto-Germanic *werką Proto-West Germanic *werk Old English weorc Middle English werk English work English network English internetwork English Internet English i- From Internet. Popularized in the name of the iMac line of computers (1998).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Internet<id:network>",
        "id": "digital",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Indo-European *-tér\nProto-Indo-European *h₁n̥tér\nProto-Italic *n̥ter\nLatin inter\nLatin inter-bor.\nEnglish inter-\nProto-Germanic *natją\nProto-West Germanic *nati\nOld English nett\nMiddle English net\nEnglish net\nProto-Indo-European *werǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-om\nProto-Indo-European *wérǵom\nProto-Germanic *werką\nProto-West Germanic *werk\nOld English weorc\nMiddle English werk\nEnglish work\nEnglish network\nEnglish internetwork\nEnglish Internet\nEnglish i-\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"between\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"between\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"between\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*h₁n̥tér\", \"id\" : \"between\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"in\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₁én\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tér\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₁entér\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*n̥ter\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"inter\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"inter-\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"inter-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"fabric\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"mesh\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"mesh\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"net\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"net\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"net\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*natją\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*nati\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"nett\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"net\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"net\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"employment\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"work\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"work\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"work\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"work\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"work\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to make\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*werǵ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" }, { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"nominalizing suffix\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"redlink\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-om\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*wérǵom\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*werką\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*werk\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"weorc\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"werk\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"work\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"network\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"internetwork\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"Internet\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"i-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"digital\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"i-\" id=\"English:_digital\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "from",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Internet"
      },
      "expansion": "Internet"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Internet<id:network>",
        "id": "digital",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Indo-European *-tér\nProto-Indo-European *h₁n̥tér\nProto-Italic *n̥ter\nLatin inter\nLatin inter-bor.\nEnglish inter-\nProto-Germanic *natją\nProto-West Germanic *nati\nOld English nett\nMiddle English net\nEnglish net\nProto-Indo-European *werǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-om\nProto-Indo-European *wérǵom\nProto-Germanic *werką\nProto-West Germanic *werk\nOld English weorc\nMiddle English werk\nEnglish work\nEnglish network\nEnglish internetwork\nEnglish Internet\nEnglish i-"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₁én",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁én#Proto-Indo-European:_in"
    ],
    [
      "*-tér",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tér"
    ],
    [
      "*h₁n̥tér",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁entér#Proto-Indo-European:_between"
    ],
    [
      "*n̥ter",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/n̥ter#Proto-Italic:_between"
    ],
    [
      "inter",
      "inter#Latin:_between"
    ],
    [
      "inter-",
      "inter-#Latin:_between"
    ],
    [
      "inter-",
      "inter-#English:_between"
    ],
    [
      "*natją",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/natją#Proto-Germanic:_net"
    ],
    [
      "*nati",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/nati#Proto-West_Germanic:_net"
    ],
    [
      "nett",
      "nett#Old_English:_net"
    ],
    [
      "net",
      "net#Middle_English:_mesh"
    ],
    [
      "net",
      "net#English:_mesh"
    ],
    [
      "*werǵ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/werǵ-#Proto-Indo-European:_to_make"
    ],
    [
      "*-om",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-om#Proto-Indo-European:_nominalizing_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "*wérǵom",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wérǵom#Proto-Indo-European:_work"
    ],
    [
      "*werką",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/werką#Proto-Germanic:_work"
    ],
    [
      "*werk",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/werk#Proto-West_Germanic:_work"
    ],
    [
      "weorc",
      "weorc#Old_English:_work"
    ],
    [
      "werk",
      "werk#Middle_English:_work"
    ],
    [
      "work",
      "work#English:_employment"
    ],
    [
      "network",
      "network#English:_fabric"
    ],
    [
      "internetwork",
      "internetwork#English:_network_of_networks"
    ],
    [
      "Internet",
      "Internet#English:_network"
    ],
    [
      "Internet",
      "Internet#English"
    ],
    [
      "iMac",
      "iMac#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "Pertaining to the Internet.",
        "Pertaining to digital devices and computer programs, especially those that are cutting-edge or fashionable, and those from Apple."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
      "recordId": "c61bd821d16686c419d54d56bb2755d993851bf174edec16bb017dc9689b3310",
      "rawRecordSha256": "bbd3b2b0eba331ee431165d1687b2028b247c0950b70e4352a5d795514c07307",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 486130
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

prefix

Pertaining to computerized, electronic, digital, intelligent controls in products

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From intelligent

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "from",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "intelligent"
      },
      "expansion": "intelligent"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "intelligent",
      "intelligent#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "Pertaining to computerized, electronic, digital, intelligent controls in products"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
      "recordId": "8c0d43090642e9aa4cec02b1e855ff6ef6aaf5577e31067ff9038b782e1b6c61",
      "rawRecordSha256": "421935ca9298bc4d9470a84b8f40dcb33bb5e8720453d88f0a4ef9715eb03d7b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 486131
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for i- →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-aS0