indemnify
UK[ɪnˈdemnɪfaɪ]US[ɪnˈdemnɪfaɪ]
v
to promise to pay someone for any damage or loss that they may suffer
v
to pay money to someone for damage or loss that they have suffered
Morpheme Breakdown
in
demn
ify
in
not
demn
ify
Etymology
the word 'indemnify' originates from the latin verb 'indemnis', meaning 'unhurt' or 'free from loss', which itself is formed from the prefix 'in-' (not) and 'damnum' (loss, penalty). the core concept is to make someone secure against loss. entering english in the early 17th century via the medieval latin 'indemnificare', the term was shaped by legal and financial contexts where protection from liability was paramount. the modern sense directly preserves this logic: to 'indemnify' is literally 'to make (someone) free from loss', either by promising compensation or by providing it.
Analysis
Structure: in + demn + ify
in- (latin, a prefix meaning 'not' or 'without', here used in an intensive or privative sense)
demn (latin, from 'damnum', meaning 'loss', 'damage', or 'penalty')
-ify (latin, via old french, a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to be')
Examples
the contract will indemnify the company against any legal claims.
the insurance policy is designed to indemnify homeowners for storm damage.
the government agreed to indemnify the victims of the disaster.