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.’

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verb

inform

in-FORM/ɪnˈfɔːrm/

To convey previously unknown information to someone.

The nurse informs the patient about the lungs using a diagram.

Etymology

inLatinin, into, on, upon

+formLatinshape or give form to

The original image was giving form or shape to something. This became a figurative expression for training or instructing someone, then for communicating facts or news.

In context

CareerVidz9:29

I would also contact you, the transportation managers to inform them of the accident. Finally, step 5 would be to speak to the emergency services

BUS DRIVER Interview Questions & Answers!

More examples

Please inform the nurse about any allergies.
The letter informed us that our application had been approved.
A witness informed on the thieves.

Forms

inform · informs · informed · informing

information noun — Facts or knowledge communicated to someone.

informer noun — Someone who reports wrongdoing to authorities.

Similar words

tell: More conversational; also covers sharing stories or giving instructions.
notify: Usually involves an official notice about a specific event.