inter-

word-forming element used freely in English, "between, among, during," from Latin inter (prep., adv.) "among, between, betwixt, in the midst of" (also used extensively as a prefix), from PIE *enter "between, among" (source also of Sanskrit antar, Old Persian antar "among, between," Greek entera (plural) "intestines," Old Irish eter, Old Welsh ithr "among, between," Gothic undar, Old English under "under"), a comparative of root *en "in."

A living prefix in English from 15c. and used with Germanic as well as Latinate words. Spelled entre- in French; most words borrowed into English in that form were re-spelled 16c. to conform with Latin except entertain, enterprise. In Latin, spelling shifted to intel- before -l-, hence intelligence, etc.

Entries linking to inter-

enterprise (n.)

early 15c., "an undertaking," formerly also enterprize, from Old French enterprise "an undertaking," noun use of fem. past participle of entreprendre "undertake, take in hand" (12c.), from entre- "between" (see entre-) + prendre "to take," contraction of prehendere "to catch hold of, seize" (from prae- "before," see pre-, + -hendere, from PIE root *ghend- "to seize, take"). Abstract sense of "adventurous disposition, readiness to undertake challenges, spirit of daring" is from late 15c.

entertain (v.)

late 15c., "to keep up, maintain, to keep (someone) in a certain frame of mind," from Old French entretenir "hold together, stick together, support" (12c.), from entre- "among" (from Latin inter; see inter-) + tenir "to hold" (from Latin tenere, from PIE root *ten- "to stretch").

Sense of "have a guest" is late 15c.; that of "gratify, amuse" is 1620s. Meaning "to allow (something) to consideration, take into the mind" (of opinions, notions, etc.) is 1610s. Related: Entertained; entertaining.

See all related words (125) >

More to Explore

intelligence

late 14c., "the highest faculty of the mind, capacity for comprehending general truths;" c. 1400, "faculty of understanding, comprehension," from Old French intelligence (12c.) and directly from Latin intelligentia, intellegentia "understanding, knowledge, power of discerning; ar

intercalate

"to insert a day into the calendar," 1610s, from Latin intercalatus, past participle of intercalare "to proclaim the insertion of an intercalary day," from inter "between" (see inter-) + calare "to call" (an intercalary day; see calendar). Sometimes used in a general sense, "to i

intercede

1570s, "to come between in space or time" (obsolete); c. 1600, "to interpose on behalf of another," a back-formation from intercession, or else from Latin intercedere "intervene, come between, be between" (in Medieval Latin "to interpose on someone's behalf"), from inter "between

entrails

), from altered form of Latin interanea, noun use of neuter plural of interaneus "internal, that which is within," from inter...

enter

initiate," from Latin intrare "to go into, enter" (source of Spanish entrar, Italian entrare), from intra "within," related to inter...

bury

Old English byrgan "to raise a mound, hide, enclose in a grave or tomb, inter," akin to beorgan "to shelter," from Proto-Germanic...

Easter

Old English Easterdæg, "Easter day," from Eastre (Northumbrian Eostre), from Proto-Germanic *austron-, "dawn," also possibly the name of a goddess whose feast was celebrated in Eastermonað (the Anglo-Saxon month corresponding with April), from *aust- "east, toward the sunrise" (c

communism

1843, "social system based on collective ownership," from French communisme (c. 1840), from commun (Old French comun "common, general, free, open, public;" see common (adj.)) + -isme (see -ism). Originally a theory of society. As the name of a political or economic theory w

renege

1540s, renegue, "deny, renounce, abandon" (archaic), from Medieval Latin renegare, from Latin re-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see re-), + negare "to refuse" (from PIE root *ne- "not"). The meaning "change one's mind, go back on (one's word or promise)" is by 1784. OED iden

binge

1854, "drinking bout," also (v.) "drink heavily, soak up alcohol;" dialectal use of binge "soak" (a wooden vessel). Said to have been originally as a dialect word. Binge is noted in Evans' "Leicestershire Words, Phrases and Proverbs" (London, 1848) as a dialect verb for "To soak

Share inter-

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter-

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter-">Etymology of inter- by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of inter-. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter-

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of inter-,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter-.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of inter-.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter-. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of inter-.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/inter- (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on September 28, 2017

Remove ads >

Trending words

1. teacher
2. autumn
3. empathy
4. philadelphia
5. research
6. vote
7. pan
8. deluge
9. humble
10. compassion

Dictionary entries near inter-

intentionally

intentioned

intentions

intentive

inter

inter-

inter alia

interact

interaction

interactive

interamnian