entry
imply
/ɪmˈplaɪ/Suggest without stating directly; entail as consequence
From Latin in (in) + Latin plicare (to fold).
from Latin implicare "involve, enfold, entangle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Latin implicare "involve, enfold, entangle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Old French emplier
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English implien, emplien, borrowed
Word Ancestry
from Latin implicare "involve, enfold, entangle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Latin implicare "involve, enfold, entangle,"
+1 more sourcefrom Old French emplier
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English implien, emplien, borrowed
Picture a Roman putting one piece of cloth inside another, folding the layers together until you can no longer separate them cleanly. That physical image sits inside Latin implicare, “to enfold” or “entangle,” built from in- “into” and plicare “to fold.” By the late 14th century, English imply had begun its mental career: a statement could “fold in” an unstated consequence, much as a letter folds a hidden message into its layers. Its cousin employ came through the same Latin word, although employ eventually wandered toward work and hiring, while imply stayed with concealed connections. So when someone implies something, imagine them folding an idea into their sentence and leaving you to unfold it.
The Story
Picture a Roman putting one piece of cloth inside another, folding the layers together until you can no longer separate them cleanly. That physical image sits inside Latin implicare, “to enfold” or “entangle,” built from in- “into” and plicare “to fold.” By the late 14th century, English imply had begun its mental career: a statement could “fold in” an unstated consequence, much as a letter folds a hidden message into its layers. Its cousin employ came through the same Latin word, although employ eventually wandered toward work and hiring, while imply stayed with concealed connections. So when someone implies something, imagine them folding an idea into their sentence and leaving you to unfold it.
Kin & Kindred
From 'in'·in, into, on, or upon
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'plicare'·to fold, enfold, or plait
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary