Where does “insecure” come from?
Insecure comes from Latin insecurus, formed from the prefix in- and securus meaning "free from care," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ne and oyd-.
insecure (English): Not secure; Not comfortable or confident in...
Definitions
- Not secure; Not comfortable or confident in...
Ancestry of “insecure”, step by step
insecure traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English secure
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | secure | Free from attack or danger; protected; Free from... |
| 2 | Middle English | securite | security, safety; comfort, the state of being... |
| 3 | Middle French | securité | — |
| 4 | Latin | sēcūritās | security, safety |
| 5 | Latin | sēcūrus | careless, negligent |
| 6 | Latin | sē- | apart-; aside-; away |
| 7 | Latin | sex | six; 6 |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | seks | six |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | swéḱs | six |
via English in
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | in | Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position... |
| 2 | Middle English | in | Any kind of accomodation; particularly; A home or... |
| 3 | Old English | in | in; Alternative form of inn |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *in | — |
via Latin insēcūrus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | insēcūrus | — |