Etymograph

English

induct

Induct comes from Latin inductus ‘led or conducted’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to pull, to draw’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-1‘to pull, to draw’next step skipped: Latin indūcō
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEinductus1‘led or conducted’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500induct1
  4. Englishtodayinduct1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English induct

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-Wiktionary, English induct‘to pull, to draw’next step skipped: Latin indūcō
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEinductusWiktionary, English induct‘led or conducted’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inductWiktionary, English induct
  4. EnglishtodayinductWiktionary, English induct

The story

Originated 1350–1400 from Middle English induct, borrowed from Latin inductus, perfect passive participle of indūcō, equivalent to induce + -tus (past participle suffix).

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to pull, to draw’

team, education, touch, production, tie, produce, toy, product, reduce, duke, introduction, reduction, introduce, tow, conduct, tighten, tug, educate, dolphin, tying, conn, duchess, tuck, educator, douche, doge, herzog, tether, taut, deduction, subdue, seduce, conducive, seduction, untie, transducer, tew, redux, duchy, redoubt, 126 more

Today it means

verb To bring in as a member; to make a part of.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “induct”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dewk- / induct

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