Etymology dictionary

indeliberation (n.) — Indo-

indeliberation (n.)

1610s; see in- (1) "not, opposite of" + deliberation.

indelicacy (n.)

1712, from indelicate + abstract noun suffix -cy.

mid-15c., indempnite, "security or exemption against damage, loss, etc.," from Old French indemnité (14c.), from Late Latin indemnitatem (nominative indemnitas) "security for damage," from Latin indemnis "unhurt, undamaged," from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + damnum "damage" (see damn). Meaning "legal exemption" is from 1640s; sense of "compensation for loss" is from 1793. Related: Indemnitor; indemnitee.

indemnification (n.)

1732, "action of compensating for loss or damage," noun of action from indemnify.

indemnify (v.)

"compensate for loss or expense," 1610s, from Latin indemnis "unhurt" (see indemnity) + -fy. Related: Indemnified; indemnifying. "Indemnify formerly meant to save a person from damage or loss, but now much more often means to make good after loss or the damage of property." [Century Dictionary]

indemonstrable (adj.)

1560s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + demonstrable.

indentation (n.1)

"cut, notch, incision," 1728, of margins or edges, extended form of indent (n.).

indention (n.)

1763, formed irregularly from indent (v.1). It could be a useful word if it split with indentation the two senses (relating to marginal notches and to dents) of that word, but indention, too, is used in both.

indent (v.1)

early 15c., indenten, endenten "to make notches; to give (something) a toothed or jagged appearance," also "to make a legal indenture, make a written formal agreement or contract," from Old French endenter "to notch or dent, give a serrated edge to" (12c.) and directly from Medieval Latin indentare "to furnish with teeth," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + verb from Latin dens (genitive dentis) "tooth" (from PIE root *dent- "tooth").

The printing sense "insert white space to force text inward" is first attested 1670s. Related: Indented (late 14c.); indenting.

indent (n.)

"cut or notch in a margin," 1590s, from indent (v.1). A supposed earlier noun sense of "a written agreement" (late 15c.) is described in The Middle English Compendium as "scribal abbrev. of endenture."

indent (v.2)

"to dent or press in," c. 1400, from in (adv.) + dent (v.). Etymologically distinct from indent (v.1) but felt as the same.

indentation (n.2)

"action of making a dent or impression; small hollow or depression, slight pit," 1847, from indent (v.2).

indenture (n.)

late 14c., endenture, indenture, "written formal contract for services (between master and apprentice, etc.), a deed with mutual covenants," from Anglo-French endenture, Old French endenteure "indentation," from endenter "to notch or dent" (see indent (v.1)).

Such contracts (especially between master craftsmen and apprentices) were written in full identical versions on a sheet of parchment, which was then cut apart in a zigzag, or "notched" line. Each party took one, and the genuineness of a document of indenture could be proved by laying it beside its counterpart.

indenture (v.)

1650s, "enter into a covenant;" 1670s, "bind by indenture," from indenture (n.). It was used earlier in a sense "to wrinkle, furrow" (1630s). Related: indentured; indenturing.

indentured (adj.)

"bound by indenture," 1748 (in indentured servant), past-participle adjective from indenture (v.).

independent (adj.)

1610s, "not dependent on something else," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + dependent. French independant is attested from c. 1600; Italian independente from 1590s. In English originally of churches, nations; in reference to persons from 1660s. Meaning "able to live well without labor" is from 1732. Meaning "unbiased, set up so as to be unaffected by outside influence" is from 1790. Related: Independently.

As a noun, from 1640s as "member of an independent congregational church, English Congregationalist." It is attested from 1670s as "one who acts according to his own will" and 1808 in the specific sense "person not acting as part of a political party."

independence (n.)

1630s, "fact of not depending on others or another, self-support and self-government;" see independent + -ence. Earlier in same sense was independency (1610s). U.S. Independence Day (July 4, commemorating events of 1776) is recorded under that name by 1791.

An Old English word for it was selfdom, with self + dom "law," but in form this is closer to privilege (n.). The two concepts are not always distinguishable.

in-depth (adj.)

"profoundly, with careful attention and deep insight," 1967, from the adjective phrase (attested by 1959); see in (adv.) + depth.

indescribable (adj.)

1726, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + describable. Related: Indescribably; indescribability (1797). In same sense, Old English had unasecgendlic. Indescribables for "trousers" (1819) was colloquial in England for a generation or so.

See inexpressible.

indescript (adj.)

"undescribed," 1831, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + Latin descriptus, past participle of describere "to write down, copy; sketch, represent" (see describe).

indestructibility (n.)

1670s, from indestructible + -ity.

indestructible (adj.)

early 15c., from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + destructible. Related: Indestructibly.

indeterminate (adj.)

late 14c., from Late Latin indeterminatus "undefined, unlimited," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + determinatus, past participle of determinare "to enclose, bound, set limits to" (see determine). Related: Indeterminately.

indetermination (n.)

1640s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + determination.

indeterminable (adj.)

late 15c., from Late Latin indeterminabilis "that cannot be defined," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + determinabilis "that can be defined," from determinare "to enclose, bound, set limits to" (see determine). Related: Indeterminably.

indeterminism (n.)

1874 in philosophy, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + determinism.

indeterminacy (n.)

1640s, see indeterminate + -acy.

indexation (n.)

1960, in reference to rates of wages, prices, etc. pegged to a specified index of economic activity, noun of action from index (v.).

index (n.)

late 14c., "the forefinger," from Latin index (genitive indicis) "one who points out, discloser, discoverer, informer; forefinger (because used in pointing); pointer, sign; title, inscription, list," literally "anything which points out," from indicare "to point out," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction). Related: Indexical.

Obsolete in English in its original sense (index finger is recorded from 1768). Meaning "alphabetical list of a book's contents with directions where in the text to find them" is from late 16c., from Latin phrases such as Index Nominum "Index of Names."

Meaning "object serving as a pointer on an instrument, hand of a clock or watch" is from 1590s. Scientific sense (refractive index, etc.) is from 1829, from notion of "an indicator." Economic sense (cost-of-living index, etc.) is from 1870, from the scientific usage.

The Church sense of "forbidden books" is from index librorum prohibitorum, first published 1564 by authority of Pius IV. The Index Expurgatorius was the catalogue of books that Catholics were forbidden to read unless certain passages were deleted, first printed 1571.

index (v.)

"compile an index," 1720, from index (n.). Related: Indexed; indexing.

indie (n.)

"independent record company," 1945, shortening of independent. Among the earliest mentioned were Continental, Majestic, and Signature. Used of film production companies since 1920s, of theaters from 1942; extended by 1984 to a type of pop music issued by such labels.

Indies

"India and adjacent regions and islands," 1550s, plural of Indie, Indy, from Middle English Ynde (early 13c.), the usual word in Middle English for "India," from the Old French form of Latin India (see India). Commonly applied to Asia and the East generally; later in a time of geographical confusion, it was applied to the Caribbean basin, which was distinguished from Asia proper by being called the West Indies.

India

"the Indian subcontinent, central Asia south of the Himalayas," formerly sometimes used generally for "Asia;" Old English India, Indea, from Latin India, from Greek India "region of the Indus River," later used of the region beyond it, from Indos "Indus River," also "an Indian," from Old Persian Hindu, the name for the province of Sind, from Sanskrit sindhu "river."

The more common Middle English form was Ynde or Inde, from Old French (hence Indies). The form India began to prevail again in English from 16c., perhaps under Spanish or Portuguese influence. From 1947 in reference to the Republic of India.

Indian (adj., n.)

"inhabit of India or South Asia; pertaining to India," c. 1300 (noun and adjective), from Late Latin indianus, from India (see India). Applied to the aboriginal native inhabitants of the Americas from at least 1553 as a noun (1610s as an adjective), reflecting Spanish and Portuguese use, on the mistaken notion that America was the eastern end of Asia (it was also used occasionally 18c.-19c. of inhabitants of the Philippines and indigenous peoples of Australia and New Zealand). The Old English adjective was Indisc, and Indish (adj.) was common in 16c.

Red Indian, to distinguish the native Americans from inhabitants of India, is first attested 1831 in British English (Carlyle) but was not commonly used in North America. Hugh Rawson ("Wicked Words") writes that "Indian is unusual among ethnic terms for not having much pejorative value until comparatively recently." A few phrases, most of them U.S., impugn honesty or intelligence, such as Indian gift:

Hence Indian giver "one who gives a gift and then asks for it back" (1848). Also compare Indian summer. Indian elephant is from c. 1600; Indian corn is from 1620s; to walk Indian file is from 1758. Indian club is from 1824 as a weapon, 1825 as exercise equipment (clubs were noted in Lewis & Clark, etc., as characteristic weapons of native warriors in the American West). Indian-head (adj.) in reference to U.S. copper pennies with a portrait of an Indian in profile, from 1862.

Indiana

by 1765 in English, a name given to the region north of the Ohio River mid-18c. by French explorers or settlers; see Indian + Latin-derived place-name suffix -ana. Organized as a U.S. territory 1800, admitted as a state 1816. Related: Indianian (1784).

Indianapolis

city in Indiana, U.S., founded 1821, from Indiana + -polis.

Indian Ocean

first attested 1515 in Modern Latin (Oceanus Orientalis Indicus), named for India, which projects into it; earlier it was the Eastern Ocean, as opposed to the Western Ocean (Atlantic) before the Pacific was surmised.

Indian summer (n.)

"spell of warm, dry, hazy weather after the first frost" (happening anywhere from mid-September to nearly December, according to location), 1774, North American English (also used in eastern Canada), perhaps so called because it was first noted in regions then still inhabited by Indians, in the upper Mississippi valley west of the Appalachians, or because the Indians first described it to the Europeans. No evidence connects it with the color of fall leaves, or to a season of renewed Indian attacks on settlements due to renewed warm weather (a widespread explanation dating at least to the 1820s).

It is the American version of British All-Hallows summer, French été de la Saint-Martin (feast day Nov. 11), etc. Also colloquial was St. Luke's summer (or little summer), period of warm weather occurring about St. Luke's day (Oct. 18). An older and simpler name for it was autumn-spring (1630s).

indicate (v.)

1650s, "to point out," back-formation from indication (q.v.) or else from Latin indicatus, past participle of indicare "to point out, show," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction). Especially "to give suggestion of, be reason for inferring" (1706). Related: Indicated; indicating.

indicator (n.)

1660s, "that which indicates or points out," from Late Latin indicator, agent noun from indicare "to point out, show" (see indication). As a finger muscle, from 1690s. As a steam-cylinder's pressure gauge, 1839. As a device on a motor vehicle to signal intention to change direction, 1932.

Indic (adj.)

"pertaining to India or its inhabitants," 1877, from Latin Indicus "of India," or Greek Indikos "of India;" see India. Especially in reference to the Indo-European languages of India, living and dead.

indices (n.)

according to OED, the plural form of index preferable in scientific and mathematical senses of that word.

indication (n.)

early 15c., "a sign, that which indicates," from Latin indicationem (nominative indicatio) "an indicating; valuation," noun of action from past participle stem of indicare "point out, show," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction).

indicative (adj.)

mid-15c., "that points out, states, or declares" (grammatical), from Old French indicatif (14c.), from Late Latin indicativus "serving to point out," from indicat-, past participle stem of Latin indicare "to point out, show" (see indication). The "mood in the conjugation of a Latin verb whose essential function is to state a fact (as opposed to a wish, supposition or command)" [The Middle English Compendium]. Related: Indicatively.

indicia (n.)

"indications, discriminating marks," Latin plural of indicium "a notice, information, disclosure, discovery," from index (genitive indicis); see index (n.).

indict (v.)

formerly also endict, c. 1300, enditen, inditen, "bring formal charges against (someone); accuse of a crime," from Anglo-French enditer "accuse, indict, find chargeable with a criminal offense" (late 13c.), Old French enditier, enditer "to dictate, write, compose; (legally) indict," from Vulgar Latin *indictare "to declare, accuse, proclaim in writing," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + Latin dictare "to declare, dictate," frequentative of dicere "to say, speak" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

Retained its French pronunciation after the spelling was re-Latinized c. 1600. Later 14c. non-legal senses "write, compose (a poem, etc.); dictate" have gone with the older form, endite, indite (q.v.). The sense is perhaps partly confused with Latin indicare "to point out." In classical Latin, indictus meant "not said, unsaid" (from in- "not"). Related: Indictable; indicted; indicting.

indictive (adj.)

"proclaimed," 1650s, from Late Latin indictivus "proclaimed," from Latin indicere "to declare publicly, proclaim, announce," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicere "to speak, say, tell" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

indictable (adj.)

mid-15c., enditable, "capable of being indicted, liable to indictment," from indict + -able. From 1721 of actions, "that may be punished by indictment."

indictment (n.)

formerly also endictment, c. 1300, endytement, "action of accusing," from Anglo-French and Old French enditement, from enditer "accuse, indict" (see indict). The meaning "formal legal document containing a charge proved before a grand jury" is from c. 1500. The Latin spelling was restored 17c., but as with indict the French pronunciation was retained.

indiction (n.)

late 14c., "period of fifteen years," a chronological unit of the Roman calendar that continued in use through the Middle Ages, from Latin indictionem (nominative indictio), literally "declaration, appointment," noun of action from past participle stem of indicere "to declare publicly, proclaim, announce," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicere "to speak, say, tell" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

Fixed by Constantine and reckoned from Sept. 1, 312. Originally for taxation purposes, it was "a common and convenient means for dating ordinary transactions" [Century Dictionary]. The name refers to the "proclamation," at the beginning of each period, of the valuation upon which real property would be taxed.

indifference (n.)

mid-15c., "quality of being neither good nor bad, neutral quality," from Latin indifferentia "want of difference, similarity," abstract noun from indifferentem (see indifferent). From late 15c. as "lack of prejudice, impartiality;" from 1650s as "state of being apathetic." Meaning "comparative mediocrity, inexcellence"" is from 1864.

indifferently (adv.)

late 14c., "alike, equally; indiscriminately;" c.1400, "unconcernedly, carelessly;" early 15c., "impartially, without preferring one to the other;" from indifferent + -ly (2).

indifferent (adj.)

late 14c., "unbiased, impartial, not preferring one to the other" (of persons), "alike, equal" (of things), from Old French indifferent "impartial" or directly from Latin indifferentem (nominative indifferens) "not differing, not particular, of no consequence, neither good nor evil," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + differens, present participle of differre "set apart" (see differ). Extended sense of "apathetic, no more inclined to one thing than to another" first recorded early 15c.; that of "neither good nor bad" is from 1530s, on notion of "neither more nor less advantageous," but since 17c. it has tended toward "rather bad."

indigency (n.)

1610s, from Latin indigentia "need, want" (see indigence).

indigence (n.)

late 14c., from Old French indigence "indigence, need, privation" (13c.), from Latin indigentia "need, want; insatiable desire," from indigentem (nominative indigens) "in want of, needing," present participle of indigere "to need, stand in need of," from indu "in, within" (from PIE *endo-, extended form of root *en "in") + egere "be in need, want," from PIE *eg- "to lack" (source also of Old Norse ekla "want, lack," Old High German eccherode "thin, weak").

indigent (adj.)

c. 1400, from Old French indigent "poor, needy," from Latin indigentem "in want of, needing" (see indigence). As a noun, "poor person," from early 15c.

indigene (adj.)

"native, indigenous," 1590s, from French indigène (16c.), from Latin indigena "sprung from the land," as a noun, "a native," literally "in-born" (see indigenous). As a noun, "one who or that which is native, an aborigine," from 1660s. Holinshed has homeling, which he said translates indigena "in an old book that I have."

indigenous (adj.)

"born or originating in a particular place," 1640s, from Late Latin indigenus "born in a country, native," from Latin indigena "sprung from the land, native," as a noun, "a native," literally "in-born," or "born in (a place)," from Old Latin indu (prep.) "in, within" + gignere (perfective genui) "to beget, produce" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget," with derivatives referring to procreation and familial and tribal groups).

Indu "within" is from archaic endo, which is cognate with Greek endo- "in, within," from PIE *endo-, extended form of root *en "in." Related: Indigenously.

indigestion (n.)

late 14c., "difficulty or inability in digesting food," from Old French indigestion (13c.), from Late Latin indigestionem (nominative indigestio), from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + digestionem "arrangement, distribution" (see digestion). An Old English word for it was unmeltung.

indigestible (adj.)

late 15c., from Late Latin indigestibilis or else a native formation from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + digestible; or else from Late Latin indigestibilis. Related: Indigestibility (1733).

indignation (n.)

c. 1200, from Old French indignacion "fury, rage; disrespect," or directly from Latin indignationem (nominative indignatio) "indignation, displeasure; a provocation, cause for indignation," noun of action from past participle stem of indignari "regard as unworthy, be angry or displeased at," from indignus "unworthy," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting," from PIE *dek-no-, suffixed form of root *dek- "to take, accept." The indignation meeting (1835) once was a common American way to express popular outrage by passing and publishing resolutions.

indignance (n.)

1580s, from indignant + -ance or else from Medieval Latin indignantia. Indignancy is attested from 1778.

indignant (adj.)

1580s, from Latin indignantem (nominative indignans) "impatient, reluctant, indignant," present participle of indignari "to be displeased at, be offended, resent, deem unworthy," from indignus "unworthy," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting," from PIE *dek-no-, suffixed form of root *dek- "to take, accept." Related: Indignantly.

indignity (n.)

"unworthy treatment; act intended to lower the dignity of another," 1580s, from Latin indignitatem (nominative indignitas) "unworthiness, meanness, baseness," also "unworthy conduct, an outrage," noun of quality from indignus "unworthy," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting," from PIE *dek-no-, suffixed form of root *dek- "to take, accept." Related: Indignities.

indigo (n.)

17c. spelling change of indico (1550s), "blue powder obtained from certain plants and used as a dye," from Spanish indico, Portuguese endego, and Dutch (via Portuguese) indigo, all from Latin indicum "indigo," from Greek indikon "blue dye from India," literally "Indian (substance)," neuter of indikos "Indian," from India (see India).

Replaced Middle English ynde (late 13c., from Old French inde "indigo; blue, violet" (13c.), from Latin indicum). Earlier name in Mediterranean languages was annil, anil (see aniline). As "the color of indigo" from 1620s. As the name of the violet-blue color of the spectrum, 1704 (Newton).

indirect (adj.)

late 14c., from Old French indirect (14c.) or directly from Late Latin indirectus "not direct," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + directus (see direct (adj.)). Related: Indirectness.

indirection (n.)

"irregular means, deceitful action," 1590s, from indirect + -ion.

indirectly (adv.)

mid-15c., from indirect + -ly (2).

indiscernible (adj.)

1630s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discernible. Related: Indiscernibly; indiscernibility.

indiscipline (n.)

"disorder, lack of discipline," 1783, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discipline (n.). Perhaps modeled on French indiscipline (18c.). Indisciplined as a past-participle adjective is attested from c. 1400.

indiscreet (adj.)

"imprudent, not discrete, lacking good judgment," early 15c., from Medieval Latin indiscretus, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), past participle of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). A Medieval Latin secondary sense of the word that also became indiscrete. Related: Indiscreetly; indiscreetness.

indiscretion (n.)

mid-14c., "want of discretion, imprudence," from Old French indiscrecion "foolishness, imprudence" (12c.), from Late Latin indiscretionem (nominative indiscretio) "lack of discernment," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + discretionem "discernment, power to make distinctions" (see discretion). Meaning "indiscreet act" is from c. 1600.

indiscrete (adj.)

"not containing distinct parts," 1782 (earlier "not distinctly separate," c. 1600), from Latin indiscretus "unseparated; indistinguishable, not known apart," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), past participle of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). Related: Indiscretely; indiscreteness.

indiscretionary (adj.)

1788, from indiscretion + -ary.

indiscriminately (adv.)

1650s, from indiscriminate + -ly (2).

indiscriminate (adj.)

"not carefully discriminating, done without making distinctions," 1640s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + discriminate (adj.).

indispensability (n.)

1640s, from indispensable + -ity.

indispensable (adj.)

1530s, "not subject to dispensation," from Medieval Latin *indispensabilis, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dispensabilis, from Latin dispensare "disburse, administer, distribute (by weight)" (see dispense). Meaning "necessary" is from 1690s. From 17c. into 19c. often spelled indispensible, but modern dictionaries considered this improper.

As a noun, "indispensable thing," from 1794; c. 1800-1810, after French use, it was the name of a type of pocket bag worn by women. indispensables (1820) also was one of the many 1820s jocular euphemisms for "trousers" (see inexpressible). Related: Indispensably.

indisposed (adj.)

c. 1400, "unprepared;" early 15c., "not in order," from in- (1) "not" + disposed; or else from Late Latin indispositus "without order, confused." From mid-15c. in English as "diseased;" modern sense of "not very well, slightly ill" is from 1590s. A verb indispose is attested from 1650s but perhaps is a back-formation of this, rather than its source, or from French indisposer.

indisposition (n.)

early 15c., "unfavorable influence" (in astrology), mid-15c., "disinclination (to), state of being not disposed in mind," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + disposition. Perhaps modeled on Old French indisposicion or Medieval Latin indispositio. Sense of "ill health, disorder of the mind or body" is from mid-15c. Other 15c. senses included "inclination to evil; wickedness," and "public disorder, lawlessness."

indisputable (adj.)

1550s, from Late Latin indisputabilis, from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + disputabilis, from Latin disputare "to weigh, examine, discuss, argue, explain" (see dispute (v.)). Related: Indisputably.

indissolubility (n.)

1670s, from indissoluble + -ity.

indissoluble (adj.)

mid-15c. (implied in indissolubly), from Latin indissolubilis "indestructible, that cannot be dissolved," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dissolubilis, from dis- + solubilis (see soluble). Related: Indissolubly.

indistinct (adj.)

1580s, "not seen or heard clearly," from Latin indistinctus "not distinguishable, confused, obscure," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + distinctus (see distinct). From c. 1600 as "not clearly defined or distinguished." Indistinctly is attested from c. 1400 in an obsolete sense "equally, alike, indiscriminately." Related: Indistinctness.

indistinguishable (adj.)

1640s, "not clearly perceived;" 1650s, "incapable of being told apart," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + distinguishable. Shakespeare's use of it (c. 1600) seems to mean "of indeterminate shape." Related: Indistinguishably.

indite (v.)

formerly also endite, late 14c., "put down in writing," from Old French enditer, enditier "dictate, write; draw up, draft; (legally) indict," from Vulgar Latin *indictare, from Latin in- "in, into, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + dictare "to declare," frequentative of dicere "to say, speak" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly"). The same word as indict but retaining a French form. Related: Indited; inditing.

inditement (n.)

1560s, "action of writing prose or verse," from indite + -ment. Perhaps modeled on French enditement (12c.).

indium (n.)

metallic element, 1864, Modern Latin, from indicum "indigo" (see indigo) + chemical name element -ium. So called for its spectral lines. Ferdinand Reich (1799-1882), professor of physics at Freiberg, isolated it while analyzing local zinc ores in 1863 and identified it as a new element by the two dark blue lines in its spectrum, which did not correspond to any known element. The discovery had to be observed by his assistant, Theodor Richter, because Reich was color-blind.

individual (adj.)

early 15c., "one and indivisible, inseparable" (with reference to the Trinity), from Medieval Latin individualis, from Latin individuus "indivisible," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dividuus "divisible," from dividere "divide" (see divide (v.)). Original sense now obsolete; the word was not common before c. 1600 and the 15c. example might be an outlier. Sense of "single, separate, of but one person or thing" is from 1610s; meaning "intended for one person" is from 1889.

individualism (n.)

"quality of being distinct or individual, individuality," 1815, from individual + -ism. As the name of a social philosophy favoring non-interference of government in lives of individuals (opposed to communism and socialism) first attested 1851 in writings of J.S. Mill.

individualize (v.)

1630s, "to make individual, stamp with individual character;" 1650s, "to point out individually, to note separately as individuals;" see individual + -ize. Related: Individualized; individualizing.

individuate (v.)

1610s, from Medieval Latin individuatus, past participle of individuare "make individual," from Latin individuus "individual" (see individual (adj.)). Perhaps modeled on obsolete French individuer. Related: Individuated; individuating.

individually (adv.)

1590s, "indivisibly," from individual + -ly (2). Meaning "as individuals" is from 1640s.

individuality (n.)

1610s, "the aggregate of one's idiosyncrasies," from individual + -ity, or from Medieval Latin individualitas. Meaning "condition of existing as an individual" is from 1650s.

individuation (n.)

1620s, from Medieval Latin individuationem (nominative individuatio), noun of action from past participle stem of individuare "to make individual," from Latin individuus "individual" (see individual (adj.)). Psychological sense is from 1909.

individual (n.)

"single object or thing," c. 1600, from individual (adj.). Meaning "a single human being" (as opposed to a group, etc.) is from 1640s. Colloquial sense of "person" is attested from 1742. Latin individuum as a noun meant "an atom, indivisible particle," and in Middle English individuum was used in sense of "individual member of a species" (early 15c.).