## Meanings
1. A unit of length equal to 2.54 cm, about the width of a thumb.
2. A very short distance or small amount.
3. To move very slowly, a little at a time.

## Examples
- The shelf is twelve inches wide.
- Don't move an inch!
- Afraid of falling, he inched along the narrow ledge.

## Derived Forms
- acre-inch
- half-inch
- inch-perfect
- inchbonnie
- incher
- inchful
- inchlonaig
- inchlong
- inchmeal
- inchwide
- inchworm
- kirkinch

## Related Forms
- mil
- thou

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ynche
- Root: ynċe
- Root: uncia
- Root: *óynos

## Etymology
From Middle English ynche, enche, from Old English ynċe, borrowed from Latin uncia (“Roman inch, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Cognate with Middle Dutch enke (“thumb, thumb's width, inch”). Doublet of ounce, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

## AI Etymology
Inch comes from Middle English ynche, enche, from Old English ynċe, borrowed from Latin uncia (“Roman inch, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Cognate with Middle Dutch enke (“thumb, thumb's width, inch”). Doublet of ounce, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Mathematics & Measurement

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