*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of in-

PIE word *h₁én Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Germanic *in Proto-West Germanic *in Old English in Old English in- Middle English in- English in- From Middle English in-, from Old English in- (“in, into”,

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 3 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

in, into, towards, within. · Inward (direction) · Within (position)

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

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

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionin-enm
  • Inherited-form mentionin-ang · in, into
  • Inherited-form mention*ingem-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*h₁énine-pro
Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "dercat",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "langname",
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European"
    },
    {
      "name": "word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine",
        "3": "h₁én",
        "id": ""
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "PIE word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "h₁én"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE word\n *h₁én"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<ety:inh<ang:in-<ety:inh<gem-pro:*in>>>>",
        "id": "gem-into",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Germanic *in\nProto-West Germanic *in\nOld English in\nOld English in-\nMiddle English in-\nEnglish in-\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*in\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*in\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"in\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"gem-into\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"in-\" id=\"English:_gem-into\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "in-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English in-"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "in-",
        "t": "in, into",
        "pos": "prefix"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English in- (“in, into”, prefix)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*in"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *in"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₁én"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *h₁én"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<ety:inh<ang:in-<ety:inh<gem-pro:*in>>>>",
        "id": "gem-into",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Germanic *in\nProto-West Germanic *in\nOld English in\nOld English in-\nMiddle English in-\nEnglish in-"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₁én",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁én"
    ],
    [
      "*h₁én",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁én"
    ],
    [
      "*in",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/in"
    ],
    [
      "*in",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/in"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#Old_English:_preposition"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*in",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/in"
    ],
    [
      "*h₁én",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁én"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "in, into, towards, within.",
        "Inward (direction)",
        "Within (position)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
prefix

in, into · Into · Doing; forming verbs. · Having, possessing

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in-der. Middle English in- English in- 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.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionin-enm
  • Derivation mentionin-la
  • Derivation mentioninla
  • Derivation mention*enine-pro
  • Borrowed-form mentionin-fr
Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<ety:der<la:in-<id:in>>>",
        "id": "la-into",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Italic *en\nProto-Italic *en-\nLatin in-der.\nMiddle English in-\nEnglish in-\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"in\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"in\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"in\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"in\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₁én\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*en\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*en-\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"la-into\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"in-\" id=\"English:_la-into\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "in-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English in-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "in-"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin in-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "in"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin in"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*en"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *en"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "in-"
      },
      "expansion": "French in-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "in"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin in"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<ety:der<la:in-<id:in>>>",
        "id": "la-into",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₁én\nProto-Italic *en\nProto-Italic *en-\nLatin in-der.\nMiddle English in-\nEnglish in-"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₁én",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁én#Proto-Indo-European:_in"
    ],
    [
      "*en",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/en#Proto-Italic:_in"
    ],
    [
      "*en-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/en-#Proto-Italic:_in"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Latin:_in"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*en",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/en"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#French"
    ],
    [
      "incise",
      "incise"
    ],
    [
      "incite",
      "incite"
    ],
    [
      "incline",
      "incline"
    ],
    [
      "indication",
      "indication"
    ],
    [
      "en-",
      "en-#French"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "in, into",
        "Into",
        "Doing; forming verbs.",
        "Having, possessing"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 155268
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
prefix

Used with certain words to reverse their meaning. · Added to adjectives to mean not. · Added to nouns to mean lacking or without. · Cannot, unable.

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

PIE word *né 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-.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionin-enm
  • Derivation mentionin-la · not
Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<id:not><ety:bor<la:in-<id:not>>>",
        "id": "not"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"not\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"un\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"not\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"not\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*né\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*n̥-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*n̥-\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"in-\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"not\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"in-\" id=\"English:_not\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "dercat",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "langname",
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European"
    },
    {
      "name": "word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine",
        "3": "né",
        "id": ""
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "PIE word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "né"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE word\n *né"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "in-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English in-"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "in-",
        "t": "not"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin in- (“not”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "dbt",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "un-"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of un-"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:in-<id:not><ety:bor<la:in-<id:not>>>",
        "id": "not"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*né",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/né"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "incapable",
      "incapable"
    ],
    [
      "incertainty",
      "incertainty"
    ],
    [
      "inclement",
      "inclement"
    ],
    [
      "incompatible",
      "incompatible"
    ],
    [
      "un-",
      "un-#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prefix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used with certain words to reverse their meaning.",
        "Added to adjectives to mean not.",
        "Added to nouns to mean lacking or without.",
        "Cannot, unable."
      ],
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        "idiomatic",
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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 in- →

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-aW4t