immerge

Immerge is a verb meaning to plunge or submerge something into a liquid, or to cause it to be submerged. It is a relatively rare or archaic form in contemporary English; the more common verb for this sense is immerse. Historically, immerge appears in various contexts, including technical writing and older literature, but is much less frequent today.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin mergere “to dip, sink” with the prefix im- meaning into, and likely passed into English via Old French or Middle English. It is related to emerge, which comes from the same root but in a different directional sense.

Usage notes: In modern prose, prefer immerse for both literal submersion and figurative absorption. Immerge may be encountered in quotations, scholarly discussion of language history, or in specialized contexts such as early scientific texts. When used, it conveys a sense closer to “submerge into” rather than “emerge from,” though the exact nuance can vary by period and author.

Examples: Historically one might find “immerge the specimen in ethanol” in older lab notebooks; modern writers would typically say “immerse the specimen in ethanol” or “submerge the specimen in ethanol.”

See also: immerse, emerge, submerge, immersion.