ire | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

62 entries found.

1520s, "of or pertaining to a beginning," from French initial or directly from Latin initialis "initial, incipient, of the beginning," from initium "a beginning, a commencement; an entrance, a going in," noun use of neuter past participle of inire "to go into, enter upon, begin," from in- "into, in" (from PIE root *en "in") + ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). Related: Initially.

introit (n.)

in liturgics, "an antiphon sung as the priest approaches the altar to celebrate mass," late 15c., from Old French introite "(liturgical) introit; entrance" (14c.), from Latin (antiphona ad) introitum, from introitus "a going in, an entering, entrance; a beginning, prelude," past participle of introire "to enter," from intro- "on the inside, within" (see intro-) + ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go").

ambitious (adj.)

late 14c., "craving, yearning, overambitious," from Latin ambitiosus "eager for public office, eager to win favor, ingratiating," from ambitio "a going around (to solicit votes)," noun of action from past participle stem of ambire "to go around, go about," from amb- "around" (from PIE root *ambhi- "around") + ire "go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). Meaning "springing from ambition" is from 1751. Related: Ambitiously; ambitiousness.

ambience (n.)

1797, "environmental surroundings," used as a term in art for the arrangements that support the main effect of the piece, from French ambiance "atmosphere, mood, character, quality, tone," from Latin ambiens "a going around," present participle of ambire "to go around," from amb- "around" (from PIE root *ambhi- "around") + ire "go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). The notion of "going all around" led to the sense of "encircling, lying all around." Compare ambiance.

concomitant (adj.)

"accompanying, conjoined with, concurrent, going together," c. 1600, from French concomitant, from Late Latin concomitantem (nominative concomitans), present participle of concomitari "accompany, attend," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + comitari "join as a companion," from comes (genitive comitis) "companion," "companion, attendant," the Roman term for a provincial governor, from com "with" (see com-) + stem of ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). Related: Concomitantly; concomitance (1530s).

transient (adj.)

c. 1600, "transitory, not durable," from Latin transientem (nominative transiens) "passing over or away," present participle of transire "cross over, go over, pass over, hasten over, pass away," from trans "across, beyond" (see trans-) + ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). Meaning "passing through a place without staying" is from 1680s. The noun is first attested 1650s; specific sense of "transient guest or boarder" attested from 1857. Related: Transiently.

errant (adj.)

mid-14c., "traveling, roving," from Anglo-French erraunt, from two Old French words that were confused even before they reached English: 1. Old French errant, present participle of errer "to travel or wander," from Late Latin iterare, from Latin iter "journey, way," from root of ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"); 2. Old French errant, past participle of errer (see err). The senses fused in English 14c., but much of the sense of the latter since has gone with arrant.

preterite (adj.)

mid-14c., "having to do with the past," from Old French preterit "past tense" (13c.) and directly from Latin praeteritum (as in tempus praeteritum "time past"), past participle of praeterire "to go by, go past," from praeter "beyond, over; more than" (see preter-) + itum, past participle of ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go").

Grammar sense is late 14c. The word also was a noun in Middle English meaning "past times" (late 14c.). Related: Preteritive. Preterite-present attested from 1813.

err (v.)

c. 1300, from Old French errer "go astray, lose one's way; make a mistake; transgress," from Latin errare "wander, go astray," figuratively "be in error," from PIE root *ers- (1) "be in motion, wander around" (source also of Sanskrit arsati "flows;" Old English ierre "angry; straying;" Old Frisian ire "angry;" Old High German irri "angry," irron "astray;" Gothic airziþa "error; deception;" the Germanic words reflecting the notion of anger as a "straying" from normal composure). Related: Erred; erring.

initiate (v.)

c. 1600, "introduce to some practice or system," also "begin, set going," from Late Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare "to begin, originate," in classical Latin only in the sense "to instruct in mysteries or sacred knowledge." This is from initium "a beginning; an entrance," also in plural initia "constituent parts; sacred mysteries," a noun use of the neuter past participle of inire "to go into, enter upon, begin," from in- "into, in" (from PIE root *en "in") + ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go").

In some senses the English word is a back-formation from initiation. Related: Initiated; initiates; initiating; initiator.

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