im- | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

19 entries found.

variant of in- before -b-, -m-, -p- in the sense of "not, opposite of" (immobile, impersonal; see in- (2)) as well as "in, into" (implant, impoverish; see in- (1)). In some English words it alternates with em- (1).

imbalance (n.)

1895, from im- "not" + balance (n.).

impanel (v.)

"to fit with panels," 1570s; see im- "in" + panel (n.). Related: Impanelled. Also empanel.

immeasurable (adj.)

late 14c., immesurable, from im- + measurable. It could alternate with immensurable. Related: Immeasurably.

Impuritan (n.)

"one who is not a Puritan," 1610s, a hostile coinage of the Puritans, from im- "not, opposite of" + Puritan, perhaps also with suggestion of impure.

impartible (adj.)

late 14c. as "indivisible, incapable of being parted," from Medieval Latin impartibilis; see im- "not, opposite of" + part (v.). From 1630s as "capable of being imparted," from impart (v.) + -ible. Now little used in either sense.

impala (n.)

1875, from Zulu im-pala "gazelle."

Emmanuel

masc. personal name, from Greek form of Hebrew 'Immanu'el, literally "God is with us," from 'immanu "with us," from 'im "with," + first person plural pronominal suffix, + El "God."

interim (n.)

"time intervening," 1560s, from Latin interim (adv.) "in the meantime, meanwhile," originally "in the midst of that," from inter "between" (from PIE *enter "between, among," comparative of root *en "in") + im, ancient adverb from stem of pronoun is "this, that." As an adjective from c. 1600.

imitation (n.)

c. 1400, "emulation; act of copying," from Old French imitacion, from Latin imitationem (nominative imitatio) "a copying, imitation," noun of action from past participle stem of imitari "to copy, portray, imitate," from PIE *im-eto-, from root *aim- "to copy." Meaning "an artificial likeness" is from c. 1600. As an adjective, from 1840.

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