An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/un-

by Friedrich Kluge

un-, prefix, ‘not,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. un-; a negative prefix common to Teut. and Aryan; comp. OSax. un-, Du. on-, AS. and E. un-, OIc. ó-. Corresponding to Gr. ἀ-, Lat. in-, Sans. and Zend a-, an-. With this prefix is connected the common Aryan negation nē̆, ‘not’ (see nicht), as well as the prep. ohne and its cognates.