rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: in-
Latin

in-

not; without

Forms

  • in-
  • im- — Used before b, m, or p in Latin.
  • il- — Used before l in Latin.
  • ir- — Used before r in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *n̥-, the unstressed negative form associated with *ne, ‘not.’

Note

Unrelated to the Latin in- meaning ‘in’ or ‘into,’ despite their matching forms.

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A heavy stationary cart resists a person's initial push; person leans with effort, wheels still in place, conveying resistance to starting motion.
noun

inertia

ih-NUR-shuh/ɪˈnɜːrʃə/

Resistance to a change in an existing state of motion or rest.

Etymology
inLatinnot; without
+ertLatinskill, craft, or art
+iaLatinmakes a noun for a state, quality, or associated thing

From “without skill,” the Latin noun came to mean inactivity or idleness. Physics gave that idea a special meaning: matter retains its existing state, whether resting or moving, unless something changes it.

Full entry

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