Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “inactivity” come from?

Inactivity derives from Middle French inactivité, from Latin inactivitas, formed from the Latin prefix in- and activus, itself from agere meaning to do or drive, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root h₂eǵ-.

inactivity (English): The quality of being inactive; idleness;...

Definitions

  1. The quality of being inactive; idleness;...

Ancestry of “inactivity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinactiveNot active, temporarily or permanently; Not...
2Frenchinactifinactive
3Latininactivusinactive
4Latināctīvus—
5Ancient GreekἐνεργητικόςAble to act on; acting on; Active; In the active...
6Ancient Greekἐνεργέωto be in action or activity, to operate; to...
7Ancient Greekἐνεργόςat work, active
8Ancient Greekἐν-in, within; on
9Ancient Greekἐνin, on, at; among; in, at, or during the time of
10Ancient Greekδέρμαskin, hide
11Ancient Greekγλυφήcarving, carved work; hole cut
12Ancient Greek-ῐ́ᾱ{{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine...
13Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
14Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →