Online Etymology Dictionary

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.
indivisible (adj.): early 15c., from Old French indivisible (14c.) and directly from Late Latin indivisibilis "not divisible," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + divisibilis (see divisible). Related: Indivisibly.
indubitable (adj.): mid-15c., "too plain to admit of doubt," from Latin indubitabilis "that cannot be doubted," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dubitabilis "doubtful," from dubitare "hesitate, doubt" (see doubt (v.)).
inefficacy (n.): "want of force or virtue to produce the desired effect," 1610s, from Late Latin inefficacia, from inefficacem (nominative inefficax), from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin efficax "powerful, effectual, efficient" (see efficacy).
inexperience (n.): 1590s, from French inexpérience (15c.) or directly from Late Latin inexperientia "inexperience," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin experientia "experimental knowledge; experiment; effort" (see experience (n.)).
inextricable (adj.): early 15c., from Latin inextricabilis "that cannot be disentangled," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + extricare "to disentangle" (see extricate). Related: Inextricably; inextricability.
incapable (adj.): 1590s, from Middle French incapable (16c.) and directly from Medieval Latin incapabilis "incapable," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + capabilis "receptive; able to grasp or hold" (see capable). Related: Incapably; incapability.
inclement (adj.): 1660s, from French inclément (16c.) and directly from Latin inclementem (nominative inclemens) "harsh, unmerciful," from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + clementem "mild, placid." "Limitation to weather is curious" [Weekley].
incoherence (n.): 1610s, "want of coherence in thought or language," from in- (1) "not" + coherence; formed on model of Italian incoerenza. From 1670s in literal sense "want of physical coherence."
incomparable (adj.): early 15c., from Old French incomparable (12c.) or directly from Latin incomparabilis "that cannot be equaled," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + comparabilis "comparable" (see comparable). Related: Incomparably.
incomprehensible (adj.): mid-14c., from Old French incomprehensible or directly from Latin incomprehensibilis "that cannot be seized or appreciated," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + comprehensibilis (see comprehensible). Related: Incomprehensibly.
indecorous (adj.): 1680s, "in bad taste," from Latin indecorus "unbecoming, unseemly, unsightly; disgraceful," from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + decorus "becoming, fitting, seemly, proper" (see decorous). Related: Indecorously; indecorousness (1670s).
indefensible (adj.): 1520s, "that cannot be maintained or justified by argument," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + defensible. From 1560s as "that cannot be maintained by force." Related: Indefensibly.
wattle (n.2): "fleshy appendage below the neck of certain birds," 1510s (extended jocularly to human beings, 1560s), of uncertain origin and of doubtful relationship to wattle (n.1). Related: Wattled.
embark (v.): 1540s (transitive); 1570s (intransitive), from Middle French embarquer, from assimilated form of en- "in" (see en- (1)) + barque "small ship" (see bark (n.)). Related: Embarked; embarking.
embody (v.): 1540s, in reference to a soul or spirit invested with a physical form; from 1660s of principles, ideas, etc.; from em- (1) "in" + body (n.). Related: Embodied; embodying.
embouchure (n.): 1760, in musical sense "placement of the mouth on a wind instrument," from French embouchure "river mouth, mouth of a wind instrument," from assimilated form of en- "in" (see en- (1)) + bouche "mouth" (see bouche).
barrier (n.): early 14c., barere, from Anglo-French barrere, Old French barriere "obstacle, gatekeeper," from barre "bar" (see bar (n.1)). First record of barrier reef is from 1805.
bastion (n.): 1560s, from Middle French bastillon, diminutive of Old French bastille "fortress, tower, fortified, building," from Old Provençal bastir "build," perhaps originally "make with bast" (see baste (v.1)).
carapace (n.): 1836, from French carapace "tortoise shell" (18c.), from Spanish carapacho or Portuguese carapaça, which is of uncertain origin, perhaps somehow from Latin capa (see cape (n.1)).
zipper (n.): 1925, probably an agent noun from zip (v.1). The trademark taken out on the name that year applied to a boot with zippers, not to the "lightning fastener" itself, which was so called by 1927.
emplacement (n.): 1742, formerly also implacement; from French emplacement "place, situation," from verb emplacer, from assimilated form of en- "in" (see en- (1)) + placer "to place" (see place (v.)). Gunnery sense attested from 1811.
empower (v.): 1650s, also impower, from assimilated form of en- (1) + power (n.). Used by Milton, Beaumont, Pope, Jefferson, Macaulay, but the modern popularity dates from 1986. Related: Empowered; empowering.
cascade (n.): 1640s, from French cascade (17c.), from Italian cascata "waterfall," from cascare "to fall," from Vulgar Latin *casicare, frequentative of Latin casum, casus, past participle of cadere "to fall" (see case (n.1)).
adit (n.): "entrance," c. 1600, from Latin aditus "approach, entrance, a going to or drawing near," from past participle stem of adire "to approach," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + ire "to go," from PIE root *ei- (1) "to go" (see ion).
afflatus (n.): "miraculous communication of supernatural knowledge," 1660s, from Latin afflatus "a breathing upon, blast," from past participle of afflare "to blow upon," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + flare "to blow" (see blow (v.1)).
afoul (adv.): 1809, originally nautical, "in collision or entanglement," from a- (1) + foul (adj.). From 1833 in general sense of "in violent or hostile conflict," mainly in phrases such as run afoul of.
bar (n.2): "tavern," 1590s, so called in reference to the bars of the barrier or counter over which drinks or food were served to customers (see bar (n.1)).
derail (v.): 1850, in both transitive and intransitive senses, from French dérailler "to go off the rails," from de- (see de-) + railler (see rail (n.1)). In general use first in U.S. Related: Derailed; derailing.
despicable (adj.): 1550s, from Late Latin despicabilis, from Latin despicari "despise, disdain, look down on," from de- "down" (see de-) + spicare, variant of specere "to look" (see scope (n.1)).
red-handed (adj.): 1781, earlier red-hand (early 15c.), originally in Scottish legal writing, from red (adj.1) + -handed; presumably from the image of a murderer with hands still stained with blood.
redshirt (v.): "to withdraw (a player) from the varsity team to add a year to his or her eligibility," 1955, in reference to the red shirts worn by athletes on the scrimmage squad; from red (adj.1) + shirt (n.).
redskin (n.): "American Indian," 1690s, from red (adj.1) + skin (n.). Red as the skin color of Native Americans is from 1580s; red man is from 1580s. Also see red cent.
paramecium (n.): 1752, Modern Latin Paramecium, the genus name, coined from Greek paramekes "oblong, oval," from para- "on one side" (see para- (1)) + mekos "length," related to makros "long" (see macro-).
paraphrase (n.): 1540s, from Middle French paraphrase (1520s), from Latin paraphrasis "a paraphrase," from Greek paraphrasis "a free rendering," from paraphrazein "to tell in other words," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + phrazein "to tell" (see phrase (n.)).
parapraxis (n.): "faulty action, blunder," 1904, from Modern Latin, from para- "contrary" (see para- (1)) + Greek praxis "a doing, transaction, business" (see praxis). In psychology, a minor error held to reveal a subconscious motive.
rectilinear (adj.): "forming a straight line," 1650s, with -ar + rectiline (1560s), from Late Latin rectilineus, from rectus "straight" (see right (adj.1)) + linea "line" (see line (n.)). Related: Rectilineal (1640s).
cellulite (n.): "lumpy, dimpled fat," 1968, from French cellulite, from cellule "a small cell" (16c., from Latin cellula "little cell," diminutive of cella; see cell) + -ite (see -ite (1)).
centipede (n.): 1640s, from French centipède, from Latin centipeda "many-footed insect," from centum "hundred" (see hundred) + pedis, genitive of pes "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)).
vitiate (v.): 1530s, from Latin vitiatus, past participle of vitiare "to make faulty, injure, spoil, corrupt," from vitium "fault, defect, blemish, crime, vice" (see vice (n.1)). Related: Vitiated; vitiating.
diphthong (n.): late 15c., from Middle French diphthongue, from Late Latin diphthongus, from Greek diphthongos "having two sounds," from di- "double" (see di- (1)) + phthongos "sound, voice," related to phthengesthai "utter, speak loudly."
enact (v.): early 15c., "act the part of, represent in performance," from en- (1) "make, put in" + act (v.). Meaning "decree, establish, sanction into law" is from mid-15c. Related: Enacted; enacting.
encapsulate (v.): 1842 (implied in encapsulated), "enclose in a capsule," from en- (1) "make, put in" + capsule + -ate (2). Figurative use by 1939. Related: Encapsulating.
encode (v.): 1917, from en- (1) "make, put in" + code (n.). Computing sense is from 1955, usually shortened colloquially or for clarity to code. Related: Encoded; encoding.
encourage (v.): early 15c., from Old French encoragier "make strong, hearten," from en- "make, put in" (see en- (1)) + corage "courage, heart" (see courage). Related: Encouraged; encouraging; encouragingly.
endear (v.): 1580s, "to enhance the value of," also "win the affection of," from en- (1) "make, put in" + dear (adj.). Meaning "to make dear," the main modern sense, is from 1640s. Related: Endeared; endearing.
endow (v.): late 14c., indowen "provide an income for," from Anglo-French endover, from en- "in" (see en- (1)) + Old French douer "endow," from Latin dotare "bestow" (see dowry). Related: Endowed; endowing.
engrave (v.): mid-15c. (implied in ingraved "engraved"), from en- (1) + obsolete verb grave "carve" (see grave (v.)) or from or modeled on French engraver. Related: Engraved; engraven; engraving.
engulf (v.): 1550s, from en- (1) "make, put in" + gulf (n.) or else from Old French engolfer. Originally of seas, whirlpools, etc.; by 1711 of fire and other mediums. Figurative use from 1590s. Related: Engulfed; engulfing.
enjambment (n.): also enjambement, 1837, from French enjambement or from enjamb (c. 1600), from French enjamber "to stride over," from en- (see en- (1)) + jambe "leg" (see jamb).