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.’

227 / 306
Coworker indirectly hints suspicion with pointed glance toward missing purse.
verb

insinuate

in-SIN-yoo-ayt/ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/

To suggest something indirectly, especially something unpleasant.

Etymology
inLatinin, into, on, upon
+sinuateLatinto wind, bend, curve

“Winding into” became an image for subtly introducing something into the mind or heart. To insinuate is to slip a suggestion into someone's thinking rather than state it directly.

Full entry

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