Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intangible” come from?

Intangible comes from Middle French intangible, from Medieval Latin intangibilis, from Late Latin tangibilis meaning "able to be touched," from Latin tangere meaning "to touch," from Proto-Indo-European teh₂g-.

intangible (English): Incapable of being perceived by the senses;...

Definitions

  1. Incapable of being perceived by the senses;...

Ancestry of “intangible”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchintangible—
2Medieval Latinintangibilis—
3Late Latintangibilistouchable, tangible; able to be touched or sensed
4Latintangeresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
5Proto-Italic*tangō—
6Proto-Indo-Europeandenḱ-to bite

Words derived from “intangible”

  • intangibly
  • intangibleness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European denḱ- →