inert

inert
\ \ [17] The -ert of inert is the same word as art. The word comes from Latin iners, which originally meant ‘unskilled’, but soon developed semantically to ‘inactive’. It was formed with the negative prefix in- from arsskill’, source of English art. The derivative inertia [18] is a Latin formation. In classical times it meant simply ‘lack of skill, idleness’; it was Johannes Kepler who first used it as a technical term in physics in the 17th century.
\ \ Cf.ART, INERTIA

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Inert — In*ert , a. [L. iners, inertis, unskilled, idle; pref. in + ars art: cf. F. inerte. See {Art}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Destitute of the power of moving itself, or of active resistance to motion; as, matter is inert. [1913 Webster] 2. Indisposed to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inert — INÉRT, Ă, inerţi, te, adj. 1. Nemişcat, fără viată, neînsufleţit. ♦ Inactiv din fire, lipsit de vigoare, de vioiciune, moale, molâu. 2. (fiz.; despre corpuri) Care are inerţie; (despre masa corpurilor) care se referă la inerţie. 3. (chim.; despre …   Dicționar Român

  • inert — [in ʉrt′] adj. [L iners, without skill or art, idle < in , not + ars (gen. artis), skill, ART3)] 1. having inertia; without power to move, act, or resist 2. tending to be physically or mentally inactive; dull; slow 3. having or exhibiting… …   English World dictionary

  • inert — index dead, dormant, idle, inactive, languid, lifeless (dull), otiose, phlegmatic …   Law dictionary

  • inert — inert* <aus gleichbed. lat. iners, Gen. inertis> (veraltet) untätig, träge; unbeteiligt; inerte Stoffe: reaktionsträge Stoffe, die sich an gewissen chem. Vorgängen nicht beteiligen (z. B. Edelgase; Chem.) …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • inert — • inert, trög, inaktiv, slapp, overksam …   Svensk synonymlexikon

  • inert — (adj.) 1640s, from Fr. inerte (16c.) or directly from L. inertem (nom. iners) unskilled, inactive, helpless, sluggish, worthless, from in without + ars (gen. artis) skill (see ART (Cf. art) (n.)). Originally of matter; specifically of gases from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • inert — inactive, passive, idle, supine Analogous words: lifeless, inanimate, *dead: impotent, *powerless: apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, stolid Antonyms: dynamic: animated Contrasted words: *active, operative, live: alert, vigilant, *watchful …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • inert — [adj] not moving; lifeless apathetic, asleep, dead, dormant, down, dull, idle, immobile, impassive, impotent, inactive, inanimate, indolent, languid, languorous, lazy, leaden, listless, motionless, numb, paralyzed, passive, phlegmatic, powerless …   New thesaurus

  • inert — ► ADJECTIVE 1) lacking the ability or strength to move. 2) chemically inactive. DERIVATIVES inertly adverb inertness noun. ORIGIN Latin iners, unskilled, inactive , from in not + ars skill, art …   English terms dictionary

  • Inert — In English, to be inert is to be in a state of doing little or nothing. Contents 1 Chemistry 2 Pesticides 3 Number theory 4 Munitions 5 …   Wikipedia

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