February 20, 2013
immerse (verb)
\ih-MERSS\ Hear it!
What does it mean?
1 : to plunge into something (as a fluid) that surrounds or covers2 : to become completely involved in
How do you use it?
Barbara quickly became immersed in seawater up to her waist when she forgot what time the tide was due to come in.
Are you a word wiz?

Which one of these words do you think shares a root word with "immerse"?

"Immerse" comes from the Latin verb "mergere," which means "to plunge." The opposite of "plunging into" something is to rise from something or to otherwise come out into view. That is the meaning of "emerge," which also has "mergere" as its root. To become "submerged," is to go underwater or become covered by water or a similar substance. And, without any prefix attached to "mergere," we get the verb "merge," meaning "to be or cause to be swallowed up or absorbed in something else," or "to combine or unite."
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