Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “incompressible” come from?

Incompressible comes from French incompressible, from Latin incompressibilis, formed from Latin in- (not) and compressibilis (able to be compressed), from Latin comprimere (to press together).

incompressible (English): Not compressible

Definitions

  1. Not compressible

Ancestry of “incompressible”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishcompressibleable to be compressed; Containing a circle that...
2EnglishcompressTo make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or...
3Middle Frenchcompresse—
4Late Latincompressareto press hard/together
5Latincompressuscompressed, restrained, repressed
6Latincomprimō—
7Latincōn-—
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak

Words derived from “incompressible”

  • incompressibleness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →