Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “inattentiveness” come from?

inattentiveness (English) comes from English inattentive, from English attentive, from Middle English attentif, from Old French attentif, from Latin attentus, from Latin attineo, from Latin ad-, from Latin īn- — in.

inattentiveness (English): The property of being inattentive

Definitions

  1. The property of being inattentive

Ancestry of “inattentiveness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinattentiveOf or pertaining to lack of attention; not paying...
2EnglishattentivePaying attention; noticing, watching, listening,...
3Middle Englishattentif—
4Old Frenchattentif—
5Latinattentusdetained, delayed; preserved, guarded; attentive,...
6LatinattineoI bring or hold to or near; I hold fast, keep,...
7Latinad-to; usually prefixed to verbs, in which cases it...
8Latinīn-—
9Latinîn—
10Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
11Proto-Italicenin
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →