Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intimate” come from?

Intimate comes from Latin intimare, derived from Latin intimus meaning innermost, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁én and wel-.

intimate (English): Closely acquainted; familiar; Of or involved in a...

Definitions

  1. Closely acquainted; familiar; Of or involved in a...

Ancestry of “intimate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinintimatus
2Latinintimō—
3Latinintimusinmost; profound; most or very secret or intimate
4Latinintuswithin, inside; at home
5Latinîn—
6Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
7Proto-Italicenin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “intimate”

  • intimacy
  • intimately
  • nonintimate
  • intimateth
  • intimateness
  • unintimate
  • intimater
  • unintimacy
  • unintimately
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →