Where does “inorganic” come from?
Inorganic derives from English organic with the prefix in-, from Middle English in-, from Latin in- meaning "not," from Latin in meaning "in," tracing back through Proto-Indo-European ne, oyd-, en, and en.
inorganic (English): relating to a compound that does not contain...
Definitions
- relating to a compound that does not contain...
Ancestry of “inorganic”, step by step
inorganic traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English organic
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | organic | Pertaining to or derived from living organisms;... |
| 2 | Middle English | organic | Resembling or functioning like an organ; composed... |
| 3 | Old French | organique | — |
| 4 | Latin | organicus | musician, instrumentalist; instrumental; organic |
| 5 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |
via French inorganique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | inorganique | inorganic |
| 2 | French | in- | in-; un- |
via Catalan orgànic
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalan | orgànic | organic |