English word origin

Etymology of inlaw

From Middle English inlawen, inlaghen, from Old English inlagian, ġeinlagian (“to restore to the protection of the law, inlaw”), equivalent to in- + law.

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 ↗

verb

To clear of outlawry or attainder, to return to the protection of the law

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

From Middle English inlawen, inlaghen, from Old English inlagian, ġeinlagian (“to restore to the protection of the law, inlaw”), equivalent to in- + law.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Inherited-form mentioninlawenenm
Inherited-form mentioninlagianang

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "inlawen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English inlawen"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "inlagian"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English inlagian"
    },
    {
      "name": "pre",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "in-",
        "3": "law"
      },
      "expansion": "in- + law"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "inlawen",
      "inlawen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inlaghen",
      "inlaghen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inlagian",
      "inlagian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "ġeinlagian",
      "geinlagian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#English"
    ],
    [
      "law",
      "law#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To clear of outlawry or attainder, to return to the protection of the law"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "historical",
        "transitive"
      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

One who is within the domain or protection of the law.

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

From Middle English inlaghe, inlage, from the verb (see above).

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Inherited-form mentioninlagheenm

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": "inlaghe"
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      "expansion": "Middle English inlaghe"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "inlaghe",
      "inlaghe#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inlage",
      "inlage#Middle_English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "One who is within the domain or protection of the law."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "e4a26ed5e9b15b3c3523a742db00953c2c232a6e21fddb94a90b6f4ef9270e14",
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative form of in-law.

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

See in-law.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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  "templates": [],
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      "in-law",
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  "references": [],
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    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of in-law."
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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 inlaw →

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-aW5sYXc