rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: in-
Latin

in-

in, into, on, upon

Forms

  • in-
  • im- — Used before b, m, or p in Latin.
  • il- — Used before l in Latin.
  • ir- — Used before r in Latin.
  • en- — Developed in French in some words later borrowed into English.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *en, ‘in.’

Note

Identical spellings can hide two different prefixes: this one indicates position or direction, while the other means ‘not.’

139 / 306
A historically plausible apprentice and master sign matching toothed parchment contract halves at a workbench, with a small sandglass denoting a set term; no happy coercion framing, no readable legal prose.
noun / verb

indenture

in-DEN-chur/ɪnˈdentʃər/

A formal contract binding parties to obligations, especially work or service.

Etymology
inLatinin, into, on, upon
+dentLatintooth
+ureOld Frenchaction or result

The tooth image refers to the notched edge cut between matching copies of a contract. Fitting those edges together authenticated the agreement, including contracts binding apprentices to service.

Full entry

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