Indent
/ˈɪn.dɛnt/noun
To make a recess or notch in something, or to begin a line of text with a space.
Did you know?“Indent” comes through French from Latin *indentāre*, meaning “to toothed-edge” or “make into teeth,” from *dēns* (“tooth”) — the same ancient root behind words like *dentist* and *denture*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃dónts
“tooth”
Latin
Latin
dens, dentis
“tooth”
Late Latin
Latin
indentāre
“to make toothed, notch, or cut into a serrated edge”
Old French
Old French
indent(er)
“to notch or make a jagged edge”
Middle English
English
indent
“to notch, make jagged, or cut with a serrated edge”
Modern English
English
indent
“to make a recess or to begin a line of text with a space”