Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “inform” come from?

Inform comes from Old French enfourmer, from Latin informo meaning to shape or form, derived from Latin in- combined with Ancient Greek μορφή meaning form, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning not and being.

inform (English): To instruct, train; To communicate knowledge to;...

Definitions

  1. To instruct, train; To communicate knowledge to;...

Ancestry of “inform”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchinformefirst-person singular present indicative of...
2Latininformisformless, shapeless; deformed; hideous, ugly
3Latinin- -is—
4Latinīn-—
5Latinîn—
6Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
7Proto-Italicenin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “inform”

  • informed
  • informing
  • informative
  • informant
  • uninformed
  • informer
  • uninformative
  • informativeness
  • noninformative
  • misinform
  • informatively
  • underinformed
  • informeth
  • informativity
  • uninforming
  • informedness
  • informee
  • disinform
  • informingly
  • reinform
  • informedly
  • misinformative
  • uninformatively
  • uninformedness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →