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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An overpowering gust defeats a woman's visible effort to stand firm: she leans into the wind with bent knees, but her shoes skid backward and her umbrella turns inside out.
adjective

irresistible

ir-ih-ZIS-tuh-buhl/ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbl/

Too appealing or powerful to resist.

Etymology
irLatinnot; without
+reLatinback, again; restoration or reversal
+sistLatinmake stand; take a stand
+ibleLatinable or suitable to be

Standing firm against something is the original image behind resistance. Irresistible describes what cannot be withstood, whether an overpowering force or an attraction too tempting to refuse.

Full entry

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