inter-, intero-

(Latin: between; among, mutually, together; on the inside, internal)

Although abstracted from the many compounds in which it entered English, the form inter- was not generally considered a living prefix in English until the 1400s.

During the later period of Middle English many words borrowed in the Old and Middle French forms entre-, enter- began to be consciously respelled with Latin inter-; although vestiges of the older French borrowings are found in entertain and enterprise.

The living prefix inter- is now freely added to almost any element in English to create such formations with the meaning of "between" and "among". The words formed by intra- are closely related to this inter- prefix; in fact, they both apparently came from the same Latin source.

—Based on information from Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
interferant
1. In law, someone who is applying for a patent that conflicts with an earlier one.
2. One of the contestants in interference before the Patent Office in the United States.
interfere
1. To delay, to hinder, or to obstruct the natural or desired course of something: "This weather is going to interfere with our flight plans."
2. To intervene unasked in the affairs of others and often in an impudent or indiscreet manner.
3. To participate in the affairs of others; especially, by offering unwanted or unhelpful advice or by trying to resolve other people's disputes.
4. To obstruct, to block, or to hinder illegally an opponent in a sport.
5. To act together to increase, to decrease, or to cancel out a displacement or an amplitude.
6. To cause electronic interference.
7. Usually with reference to horses, to hit one hoof against the opposite hoof or a leg while walking.
8. Etymology: "to strike against", from Middle French enterferer, "to strike each other"; from entre-, "between" + ferir, "to strike" from Latin ferire, "to knock, to strike".
interfered
1. Involved in a situation when such involvement is not wanted or is not helpful.
2. Entered into, or taken a part in, the concerns of others.
interference (s) (noun), interferences (pl)
1. Hindrance or obstruction that prevents a natural or desired outcome: Carson jokingly complained about the interference in his plans for vacation which was caused by his work schedule.
2. Involvement in something without any invitation or justification: Mason thoughtlessly used interferences at today's office meeting by interrupting the chairman, Mr. Thomas, at the beginning instead of waiting for the discussion part to take place.
3. In the game of football, the legal blocking of defensive players to protect and make way for the player carrying the ball: Jeannette's father played football and wore large shoulder pads to protect himself when he ran interference so his teammate could score a touch down.
4. The inhibition or prevention of clear reception of broadcast signals or the distorted portion of a received signal: The mountains and high winds caused much interference when Jasper tried to call his wife to explain why he would be late coming home.
5. The confusion or distortion that happens when old and new learning styles or information appear to contradict each other: The interference caused by the transition from teaching in a rote manner to a more inquiry based system sometimes frustrated the teachers. for example Mr. Black.
6. An assumption or a guess which is made based on little or no evidence: It seems that some lawyers try to present evidence during trials in such a way that the jury will choose the interferences that favors their clients.
interferer
1. Anyone who creates a hindrance or obstacle.
2. Someone who intervenes or intrudes in the affairs of others; a meddler.
interferes
Anyone who enters into, or takes part in, the concerns of others; including checking, hampering, hindering, infringing, encroaching, trespassing, disturbing, intervening, intermeddling (improperly interfering), and interposing.
interfering
1. Intruding in a meddling or offensive manner.
2. Deliberately becoming involved in other people's affairs in a way that is neither needed nor welcome.
interferingly
1. Characterized by unwanted, unwarranted, or unnecessary intrusion or meddling.
2. A description of the intervention, without being asked, in the affairs of others and often in an impudent or indiscreet manner.
interferome
About regulated genes which include the processes that cells and viruses use to regulate the way that the information in genes is turned into gene products.
interferon
1. A protein produced by cells in response to virus infection that inhibits viral replication.
2. A naturally occurring substance that interferes with the ability of viruses to reproduce.

Interferon also boosts the immune system.

There are a number of different interferons. They fall into three main classes: alpha, beta, and gamma.

All are proteins (lymphokines) normally produced by the body in response to infection. The interferons have been synthesized using recombinant DNA technology.

3. Etymology: coined from English interfere + -on, a chemical suffix for "particle"; in 1957, by co-discoverers, Scots virologist, Alick Isaacs and Swiss microbiologist, Jean Lindenmann, at the National Institute for Medical Research in London.

The term, interferon, came into use because the protein, or substance, "interferes" with the reduplication of viruses or virus reproduction.

interferons
Representing a family of glycoproteins derived from human cells which normally have a role in fighting viral infections by preventing virus multiplication in cells.

They are secreted by vertebrate cells in response to a wide variety of inducers and confer resistance against many different viruses, inhibit proliferation of normal and malignant cells, impede multiplication of intracellular parasites, enhance macrophage and granulocyte phagocytosis, augment natural killer cell activity, and show several other immunomodulatory functions.

Interferon-alpha is made by leucocytes and interferon-gamma by fibroblasts after viral infection.

Interferon-alpha and interferon-beta are also called type I interferons, interferon-gamma as type II interferons, and they are more normally classified as cytokines.

interfix (s) (noun), interfixes (pl)
The linking element which combines two word stems which then form a compound word: Interfixes are used in English; as in, "mile-o-meter" where the "o" is the interfix.
interfluvial
Situated between (the valleys of) adjacent watercourses.
interfoliaceous (adjective) (not comparable)
Relating to the node between a pair of leaves; situated between leaves: Rubiaceae plants are noted to have interfoliaceous stipules.
interfollicular
Between follicles; as, the interfollicular septa (dividing wall or partition) in a lymphatic (vessel) gland.

Related "together" units: com-; greg-; struct-.

Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "internal organs, entrails, inside": ent-; enter-; fistul-; incret-; intra-; splanchn-; viscer-.