inundated
UK[ˈɪn.ʌn.deɪ.tɪd]US[ˈɪn.ʌn.deɪ.t̬ɪd]
adj
flooded with water; overwhelmed.
verb (past tense)
flooded an area with water; overwhelmed someone with things to be dealt with.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
und
ated
in
in
und
wave
ated
adjective/verb suffix
Etymology
the word 'inundated' originates from the latin verb 'inundare', meaning 'to overflow'. this verb itself is a compound of the prefix 'in-' (into, upon) and the noun 'unda' (a wave). the literal image is that of a wave flowing over or into something. this concrete meaning of being flooded by water evolved naturally into the modern, more abstract sense of being overwhelmed by a large quantity of anything, such as work, information, or emotions, as if by a deluge.
Analysis
Structure: in (in) + und (wave) + ated (adjective/verb suffix)
in- (latin prefix, meaning 'in, into, on'), und- (latin root, from 'unda' meaning 'wave'), -ated (latin-derived suffix forming adjectives or past participles of verbs).
Examples
the coastal town was inundated after the hurricane.
the office was inundated with complaints following the announcement.
feeling inundated by the workload, she decided to delegate some tasks.