imm-

See also: imm and Imm

Old Irish

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *ambi-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi.

Prefix

imm-

  1. around, about
    imm- (around) + ‎soïd (to turn) → ‎imm·soí (to turn around)
    imm- (around) + ‎téit (to go) → ‎imm·tét (to go around)
    imm- + ‎aigid (drive) → ‎imm·aig (drive [someone else] around)
    imm- + ‎beirid (to carry) → ‎imm·beir (to play, literally carry around)
  2. indicates a reciprocal relationship; always unstressed and followed by a (usually plural) infixed pronoun: each other, one another
    imm- (each other) + ‎-un·cúalammar (we have heard (of) ourselves) → ‎immun·cúalammar (we have heard (of) each other)
  3. intensive prefix for adjectives and nouns: very, super-
    imm- (very) + ‎ecal (fearful) → ‎immecal (very fearful)
    imm- (very) + ‎lobur (sick person) → ‎imlobor (a very sick person)

Usage notes

The reciprocal sense, which is always unstressed, loses its initial i after (not): nímun·accammar (we have not seen each other) (also written ní ’mun·accammar by some editors).

Derived terms

  • imb (around, about, preposition)

Descendants

  • Irish: im-

Further reading