inerting
|in-ert-ing|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈnɝtɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈnɜːtɪŋ/
(inert)
lack of movement
Etymology
'inert' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'iners', where 'in-' meant 'not' and 'ars' meant 'skill/force' (forming the sense of 'inactive').
'inert' changed from Latin 'iners' into French 'inerte' and eventually became the modern English word 'inert' (borrowed in the 17th century).
Initially, it meant 'unskilled, idle' or 'without force', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'lacking movement or chemical reactivity' and the verbal sense 'to make inert'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or act of introducing an inert gas or otherwise making something inert (often used in industrial safety and chemical processing).
Inerting of the pipeline is required before purging with air.
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Verb 1
to render (a vessel, system, or atmosphere) nonreactive by introducing an inert gas (for example, nitrogen) so as to prevent combustion, oxidation, or explosion.
The plant began inerting the storage tank with nitrogen before any maintenance work.
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Last updated: 2025/11/10 10:56