intriguing
UK[ɪnˈtriːɡɪŋ]US[ɪnˈtriːɡɪŋ]
adj
arousing one's curiosity or interest; fascinating.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
trigue
ing
in
in, into, on
trigue
ing
Etymology
the word 'intriguing' originates from the french verb 'intriguer', which itself was borrowed from the italian 'intrigare', meaning 'to plot, to entangle'. 'intrigare' is thought to be derived from the latin verb 'intricare', meaning 'to entangle, perplex', from the prefix 'in-' (into) and 'tricae' (perplexities, tricks). the semantic journey moved from the literal sense of creating a complex entanglement or plot, to the figurative sense of arousing curiosity or fascination, as if one's mind is drawn into a complex puzzle. the english adjectival form '-ing' captures the ongoing, captivating quality of something that provokes this engaged interest.
Analysis
Structure: in + trigue + ing
- in- (latin): a prefix meaning 'in, into, on'. here, it functions as an intensifier.
- trigue (french, from italian): a root derived from italian 'intrigare', meaning 'to plot, to entangle'. it is the core lexical element.
- -ing (old english): a suffix used to form present participles and adjectives from verbs, indicating a quality or state.
Examples
the book's plot was so intriguing that i finished it in one sitting.
she presented an intriguing theory that challenged conventional wisdom.
we received an intriguing offer from an anonymous buyer.