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.’

237 / 306
An accomplished Black female cellist performs for a young adult white woman who watches with renewed enthusiasm and reaches for her own cello to practice.
verb

inspire

in-SPY-er/ɪnˈspaɪər/

To awaken a strong feeling that moves someone to respond.

Etymology
inLatinin, into, on, upon
+spireLatinbreathe or blow

To inspire is historically to “breathe into”: Latin already used this image for exciting or stirring someone. Filling a person with an idea, purpose, or feeling continues that figurative sense of giving inward animation.

Full entry

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