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Where does the word "impel" come from? It comes from Latin impellere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
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Where does the word "impel" come from? It comes from Latin impellere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Impel’s story begins in Latin: impellere meant “to drive into, to urge on.” To drive into, to urge on, from in- (into) and pellere (to drive). It reached English by 1400s as impel. Settled as the English word for urging or driving someone to act. Today, impel means to urge or drive someone to do something.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient impellere "to drive into, to urge on", to drive into, to urge on, from in- (into) and pellere (to drive).
- Stage 2 · English · 1400s impel "to urge or drive someone to act", settled as the English word for urging or driving someone to act.