immobile
UK[ɪˈməʊbaɪl]US[ɪˈmoʊbəl]
adj
not moving; not able to move or be moved
adj
unchanging; not capable of change or movement
Morpheme Breakdown
im
mobile
im
not
mobile
moving
Etymology
the word 'immobile' is a direct borrowing from latin 'immobilis', which itself was formed within latin by combining the negative prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') with the adjective 'mobilis' (meaning 'movable, easy to move'). the root 'mobilis' derives from the verb 'movere', meaning 'to move', a verb of proto-indo-european origin. the literal meaning, 'not movable', has remained remarkably consistent from its latin origins into modern english, where it describes both a physical state of being unable to move and a more abstract state of being unchanging or static.
Analysis
Structure: im (not) + mobile (moving)
im- is a prefix of Latin origin, a form of 'in-' meaning 'not'. mobile is a root of Latin origin, from 'mobilis', meaning 'movable, easy to move'.
Examples
the patient's leg was kept immobile in a cast.
fear made her immobile for a moment.
the company's market share has remained immobile for years.