Does Impregnable Have a Prefix?

The genealogy of the adjective impregnable includes the Middle French word prenable, meaning "vulnerable, easily conquered," which itself came from the verb prendre, which meant "to take." The addition of the negative prefix im- flipped the meaning.

What is the root word of impregnable?

Impregnable is one of the many English words that bear a French ancestry. It derives from the Middle French verb prendre, which means "to take or capture." Combining prendre with various prefixes has given our language many other words, too, including surprise, reprise and enterprise.

What does impregnable fortress mean?

Impossible to capture or enter by force: an impregnable fortress.