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infinitely (adv.)[infinitely 词源字典]: early 15c., from infinite + -ly (2).[infinitely etymology, infinitely origin, 英语词源]
infinitesimal (adj.): 1710 (1650s as a noun), "infinitely small," from Modern Latin infinitesimus, from Latin infinitus "infinite" (see infinite) + -esimus, as in centesimus "hundredth." Related: Infinitesimally.
infinitive (n.): "simple, uninflected form of a verb," 1510s (mid-15c. as an adjective), from Late Latin infinitivus "unlimited, indefinite," from Latin infinitus (see infinite). "Indefinite" because not having definite person or number.
infinitude (n.): 1640s, from Medieval Latin *infinitudo, from Latin infinitus on model of multitudo, magnitudo; see infinite. Perhaps modeled on French infinitude (1610s).
infinity (n.): late 14c., from Old French infinité "infinity; large number or quantity" (13c.), from Latin infinitatem (nominative infinitas) "boundlessness, endlessness," from infinitus boundless, unlimited" (see infinite). Infinitas was used as a loan-translation of Greek apeiria "infinity," from apeiros "endless."
infirm (adj.): late 14c., "weak, unsound" (of things), from Latin infirmus "weak, frail, feeble" (figuratively "superstitious, pusillanimous, inconstant"), from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + firmus (see firm (adj.)). Of persons, "not strong, unhealthy," first recorded c. 1600. As a noun from 1711.
infirmary (n.): mid-15c., "sick bay in a monastery," from Medieval Latin infirmaria "a place for the infirm," from Latin infirmus "weak, frail," (see infirm). The common name for a public hospital in 18c. England.
infirmity (n.): late 14c., "disease, sickness; lack of capability, weakness," from Latin infirmitatem (nominative infirmitas) "want of strength, weakness, feebleness," noun of quality from infirmus (see infirm). Perhaps in part from Middle French infirmité, Old French enfermete.
inflame (v.): mid-14c., "make (someone) ardent; set (the spirit, etc.) on fire" with a passion or religious virtue, a figurative sense, from Old French enflamer, from Latin inflammare "to set on fire, kindle," figuratively "to rouse, excite," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + flammare "to flame," from flamma "a flame" (see flame (n.)). Literal sense of "to cause to burn" first recorded in English late 14c. Meaning "to heat, make hot, cause inflammation" is from 1520s. Related: Enflamed; enflaming. Also enflame, but since 16c. the spelling with in- has predominated. Related: Inflamed; Inflaming.
inflammable (adj.): early 15c., in medicine, "liable to inflammation," from Middle French inflammable and directly from Medieval Latin inflammabilis, from Latin inflammare (see inflame). As "able to be set alight," c. 1600. Related: Inflammability.
inflammation (n.): "excessive redness or swelling in a body part," early 15c., from Middle French inflammation and directly from Latin inflammationem (nominative inflammatio) "a setting on fire," noun of action from past participle stem of inflammare (see inflame). Literal sense in English from 1560s.
inflammatory (adj.): 1680s (n.), from Latin inflammat-, past participle stem of inflammare (see inflame) + -ory. As an adjective, "tending to rouse passions or desires," 1711; from 1732 in pathology.
inflate (v.): early 15c., "cause to swell," from Latin inflatus, past participle of inflare "to blow into, inflate" (see inflation). Economics sense from 1844. In some senses a back-formation from inflation. Related: Inflatable; inflated; inflating.
inflation (n.): mid-14c., "swelling caused by gathering of 'wind' in the body; flatulence;" figuratively, "outbursts of pride," from Latin inflationem (nominative inflatio) "a puffing up; flatulence," noun of action from past participle stem of inflare "blow into, puff up," from in- "into" (see in- (2)) + flare "to blow" (see blow (v.1)). Monetary sense of "enlargement of prices" (originally by an increase in the amount of money in circulation) first recorded 1838 in American English.
inflationary (adj.): 1916, from inflation + -ary.
inflect (v.): early 15c., "to bend inward," from Latin inflectere (past participle inflexus) "to bend in, bow, curve," figuratively, "to change," from in- "in" (see in- (1)) + flectere "to bend" (see flexible). Grammatical sense is attested 1660s; pronunciation sense (in inflection) is c. 1600. Related: Inflected; inflecting.
inflection (n.): early 15c., from Middle French inflexion and directly from Latin inflexionem (nominative inflexio) "a bending, inflection, modification," noun of action from past participle stem of inflectere (see inflect). For spelling, see connection. Grammatical sense is from 1660s.
inflexibility (n.): 1610s, from inflexible + -ity.
inflexible (adj.): late 14c., "incapable of being bent, physically rigid," also figuratively, "unbending in temper or purpose," from Middle French inflexible and directly from Latin inflexibilis, from inflexus, past participle of inflectere (see inflect). In early 15c. an identical word had an opposite sense, "capable of being swayed or moved," from in- "in, on." Related: Inflexibly.
inflexion (n.): see inflection; also see -xion.