Online Etymology Dictionary

overstate (v.): 1630s, "assume too much grandeur;" see over- + state (n.1). Meaning "state too strongly" is attested from 1798, from state (v.). Related: Overstated, overstating.
glossy (adj.): "smooth and shining," 1550s, from gloss (n.1) + -y (2). Figurative use from 1690s. The noun sense of "photograph with a glossy surface" is from 1931. Related: Glossies; glossiness.
granule (n.): 1650s, from French granule or directly from Late Latin granulum "small grain," diminutive of Latin granum "grain," from PIE root *gre-no- "grain" (see corn (n.1)).
hypha (n.): structural element of fungi, 1866, from Modern Latin plural hyphae (1810), from Greek hyphe (singular) "web," from PIE root *webh- "to weave" (see weave (v.1)). Related: hyphal.
heighten (v.): mid-15c., heightenen, transitive, "to exalt, to honor or raise to high position," from height + -en (1). Intransitive sense of "to become higher" is from 1560s. Related: Heightened; heightening.
hambone (n.): also ham-bone, 1771, "bone of a ham," from ham (n.1) + bone (n.). Meaning "inferior actor or performer" is from 1893, an elaboration of ham (n.2).
headwaters (n.): attested 1530s, then not again until 1792 (in descriptions of Kentucky), so possibly the modern word is a re-formation; see head (n.) "origin of a river" + water (n.1).
gumshoe (n.): "plainclothes detective," 1906, from the rubber-soled shoes they wore (allowing stealthy movement), which were so called from 1863 (gums "rubber shoes" is attested by 1859); from gum (n.1) + shoe (n.).
groundwater (n.): also ground-water, "water in the ground," 1890, from ground (n.) + water (n.1). Attested from mid-15c. in sense "water at the bottom of a stream."
hoodie (n.): also hoody, slang shortening of hooded sweatshirt, attested by 1991; see hood (n.1). Earlier (1789) it was a familiar term for the hooded crow.
inorganic (adj.): 1727, "without the organized structure which characterizes living things," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + organic (adj.). Inorganical in this sense is from 1670s. Meaning "not arriving by natural growth" is recorded from 1862.
insider (n.): "one in possession of special information by virtue of being within some organization," 1848, from inside (n.) + -er (1). Originally in reference to the stock markets.
insatiate (adj.): "not to be satisfied," mid-15c., insaciate, from Latin insatiatus "unsatisfied," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + satiatus, past participle of satiare "to fill, satisfy" (see satiate).
inspect (v.): 1620s, from Latin inspectus, past participle of inspicere "look at, observe, view; look into, inspect, examine," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + specere "to look" (see scope (n.1)). Related: Inspected; inspecting.
instable (adj.): c. 1400, from Latin instabilis "unsteady, not firm, inconstant, fickle," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + stabilis (see stable (adj.)). Now mostly replaced by unstable.
insipient (adj.): "foolish," mid-15c., from Latin insipientem (nominative insipiens) "unwise, foolish," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + sapientem (see sapient). "Now mostly, or wholly, disused to avoid confusion with incipient" [OED].
irremediable (adj.): "beyond remedy," mid-15c., from Late Latin irremediabilis "incurable," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + remediabilis "that may be healed, curable" (see remediable).
irreversible (adj.): 1620s, of decrees, etc., "that cannot be overturned or undone," from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + reversible. Of physical things, "that cannot be turned the other way," from 1821. Related: Irreversibly.
immoderate (adj.): "excessive, extreme, lacking moderation," late 14c., from Latin immoderatus "boundless, immeasurable," figuratively "unrestrained, excessive," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + moderatus "restrained" (see moderate (adj.)). Related: Immoderately.
implausible (adj.): "not having an appearance of truth or credibility," 1670s, from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + plausible. Earlier it meant "not worthy of applause" (c. 1600). Related: Implausibly.
immiscible (adj.): "incapable of being mixed" (as oil and water are), 1670s, from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + miscible, from Latin miscere "to mix" (see mix (v.)).
inability (n.): mid-15c., inhabilite, "disqualification for office," from in- (1) + ability. Earlier was unability "incapability; incompetence" (late 14c.). General sense "state of being unable" is recorded by c. 1500.
inadvertence (n.): mid-15c., from Old French inadvertance "thoughtlessness, heedlessness" (14c.), from Scholastic Latin inadvertentia, from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + advertentia, from Latin advertere "to direct one's attention to," literally "to turn toward" (see advertise).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
inexcusable (adj.): early 15c., from Latin inexcusabilis "without excuse; affording no excuse," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + excusabilis, from excusare "apologize, make an excuse for" (see excuse (v.)). Related: Inexcusably.
insupportable (adj.): 1520s, from Middle French insupportable (14c.) or directly from Late Latin insupportabilis, from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + *supportabilis, from Latin supportare "to carry" (see support (v.)). Related: Insupportably.
Jericho: Biblical city (Num. xxii:1, etc.), perhaps ultimately from Hebrew yareakh "moon, month," and thus a reference to an ancient moon cult. As a figurative place of retirement (17c.), the reference is to II Sam. x:5.
junkie (n.): "drug addict," 1923, from junk (n.1) in the narcotics sense + -y (3). Junker in the same sense is recorded from 1922. Junk for "narcotic" is older.
neighborly (adj.): 1550s, from neighbor (n.) + -ly (1). Earlier as an adverb (1520s), while an earlier adjective form was neighborlike (late 15c.). Related: Neighborliness, which ousted earlier neighborship (mid-15c.).
graveyard (n.): 1683, from grave (n.) + yard (n.1). Graveyard shift "late-night work" is c. 1907, from earlier nautical term, in reference to the loneliness of after-hours work.
rubicund (adj.): "inclining to redness," c. 1500, from Middle French rubicond (14c.), or directly from Latin rubicundus, from rubere "to be red," from ruber "red" (see red (adj.1)). Related: Rubicundity.
saccade (n.): 1705, from French saccade "a jerk," from obsolete saquer "to shake, pull," dialectal variant of Old French sachier, ultimately from Latin saccus "sack" (see sack (n.1)). Related: Saccadic.
spear-head (n.): c. 1400, from spear (n.1) + head (n.). Figurative sense of "leading element" (of an attack, movement, etc.) is attested from 1893; the verb in this sense is recorded from 1938. Related: Spearheaded; spearheading.
scratchy (adj.): 1710, "affected with 'the scratch,'" a skin disease, from scratch (n.1) + -y (2). Meaning "composed of scratches" is from 1827; that of "grating" is from 1866. Of sounds (especially in reproduction) from 1889. Related: Scratchiness.
scry (v.): "to see images in a crystal, water, etc., which reveal the past or forebode the future," 1520s, a shortening of descry (v.1). Related: Scried; scrying; scryer.
sectional (adj.): 1806; see section (n.) + -al (1). Noun meaning "piece of furniture composed of sections which can be used separately" is attested by 1961, from sectional seat, sectional sofa, etc. (1949).
sepulchral (adj.): 1610s, "pertaining to a burial or place of burial," from Latin sepulcralis "of a tomb, sepulchral," from sepulcrum (see sepulchre) + -al (1). Transferred sense of "gloomy" is from 1711. Related: Sepulchrally.
erythro-: before vowels, erythr-, word-forming element meaning "red," from Greek erythro-, comb. form of erythros "red" (in Homer, also the color of copper and gold); see red (1).
exceptional (adj.): 1828, from exception + -al (1). Related: Exceptionally. Exceptionalism attested from 1864; phrase American exceptionalism by 1960. Other noun forms include exceptionalness (1868), exceptionality (1851).
Eumenides: Greek, literally "the well-minded ones," a euphemism of the Erinys; see eu- "well, good;" second element from Greek menos "spirit, passion," from PIE *men-es-, suffixed form of *men- (1) "to think" (see mind (n.)).
pitcher (n.2): "one who pitches," 1722, agent noun from pitch (v.1). Originally of one tossing hay into a wagon, etc.; baseball sense first recorded 1845.
impious (adj.): 1590s, "irreligious, lacking reverence for God," from Latin impius "without reverence, irreverent, wicked; undutiful, unpatriotic," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + pius (see pious). Related: Impiously; impiousness.
impolitic (adj.): "not according to good policy," c. 1600, from assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + politic (adj.) "judicious." Related: Impoliticly. Impolicy "quality of being impolitic" is attested from 1747.
imprompt (adj.): "not ready, unprepared," 1759, from Latin impromptus "unready, hesitating," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + promptus "ready" (see prompt (v.)).
incompetence (n.): 1660s, "inadequacy;" 1716, "want of skill," from or modeled on French incompétence (16c.), from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + compétence (see competence). Native formation incompetency is older (1610s).
inconclusive (adj.): 1660s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + conclusive. Related: Inconclusively. Inconclusion is "rare," perhaps because it could mean either "reaching no conclusion" or "reaching an unwarranted conclusion." Related: Inconclusiveness.