imply

Where does the word "imply" come from? It comes from Latin implicare, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Imply’s story begins in Latin: implicare meant “to fold in, to entangle.” To fold in, to entangle, from in- (in) and plicare (to fold). It reached English by 1300s as imply. Settled as the English word for suggesting something without saying it directly. Today, imply means to suggest or indicate something without stating it directly.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient implicare "to fold in, to entangle", to fold in, to entangle, from in- (in) and plicare (to fold).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s imply "to suggest something without saying it directly", settled as the English word for suggesting something without saying it directly.