im-

prefix

Expressing negation; not.

Similar
a-an-dys-i-il-in-ir-mal-
OriginLatin im- ← Proto-Italic *n̥- ← Proto-Indo-European *n̥- →
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Meanings

im-1

prefix
  1. Expressing negation; not.

    Synonyms: a-, an-, dys-, i-, il-, in-, ir-, mal-

im-2

prefix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of the prefix em-, itself variant of en-.

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixExpressing negation; not.

Similar
a-an-dys-i-il-in-ir-mal-non-un-
Also see
a-an-dys-en-end-i-il-in-intra-ir-non-un-

Origin

im- · prefix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Italic*n̥-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Latinim-
  6. Englishim-

From Latin im-, assimilated form of in- used before b-/p-/m-.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

im- · prefix

  1. Middle Frenchim-
  2. Old Frenchem-
  3. Englishim-

From em-, from Old French em-. Also from later Middle French im-, partly by confusion with im- of Latin origin (on which see above).

More words from Old French, Middle French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

im-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/im-

MLA

“im-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/im-. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “im-,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/im-.

Source: im- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.