impregnate
UK[ˈɪmpreɡneɪt]US[ɪmˈpreɡneɪt]
v
To make a woman or female animal pregnant.
v
To cause something to be filled or saturated with a substance.
Morpheme Breakdown
im
pregn
ate
im
in
pregn
pregnant
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'impregnate' has a direct lineage from the Latin verb 'impraegnare', meaning 'to make pregnant'. This was formed from the prefix 'in-' (into) and the adjective 'praegnans' (pregnant, literally 'before birth'). The core semantic logic of filling or causing to conceive was extended metaphorically in English by the 17th century to describe saturating a material with another substance, such as impregnating wood with preservative. Thus, the modern dual meanings retain the fundamental concept of causing a thorough penetration and filling.
Analysis
Structure: im (in) + pregn (pregnant) + ate (verb suffix)
- im: A prefix of Latin origin, a form of 'in-' meaning 'in, into'.
- pregn: A root from Latin 'praegnans', meaning 'pregnant, with child'.
- ate: A verb-forming suffix of Latin origin.
Examples
The bull was used to impregnate the cows.
The fabric is impregnated with a waterproof chemical.
Scientists managed to impregnate the solution with carbon dioxide.