The prefix ‘in-‘ is commonly used in the English language to indicate negation or opposition. It is derived from the Latin prefix ‘in-‘, which also means ‘not’ or ‘without’. This prefix is often added to adjectives and verbs to create their opposite meanings.
For example, when you add ‘in-‘ to the word ‘visible’, it becomes ‘invisible’, meaning something that cannot be seen. Similarly, ‘active’ becomes ‘inactive’, indicating a lack of activity. The addition of ‘in-‘ essentially transforms the original word into its contrary, thereby altering its meaning significantly.
It’s important to note that the prefix ‘in-‘ can also imply a sense of ‘inside’ or ‘within’ in some contexts, such as in the words ‘internal’ or ‘include’. However, the more commonly encountered usage is related to creating antonyms.