Definitions

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • An inseparable prefix, or particle, meaning not, non-, un- as, inactive, incapable, inapt. In- regularly becomes il- before l, ir- before r, and im- before a labial.
  • A prefix from Eng. prep. in, also from Lat. prep. in, meaning in, into, on, among. In words from the Latin, in- regularly becomes il- before l, ir- before r, and im- before a labial. In- is sometimes used with an simple intensive force.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • prefix Prefixed to certain words to give the senses of in, into, towards, within.
  • prefix in, into
  • prefix non-productive Used with certain words to reverse their meaning

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English in-, from Old English in- ("in, into", prefix), from Proto-Germanic *in (“in, into”), from Proto-Indo-European *en (“in, into”). More at in.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin in. Sometimes the Latin word has passed through French before reaching English (e.g. incise, incite, incline, indication).

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin in- ("not"). Sometimes the Latin word has passed through French before reaching English (e.g. incapable, incertainty, inclement, incompatible). Compare un-.

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