Definition of indoors

The word "indoors" originated during the Middle Ages when buildings were primarily constructed with wood and thatched roofs. In such structures, the interior spaces were literally "within" the walls of the building, in contrast to the exterior or "outdoors." The Old English word for "indoors" was "inne," which meant "within" or "inside." This word evolved over time, and during the 14th century, it became "ynner." The "-er" suffix commonly used to indicate agents or people, was added to "ynn" to form "ynneres." As a result, "ynneres" initially referred to the people residing inside a building, giving rise to the modern-day meaning of the word. Over time, the "-es" suffix was dropped, and "ynner" was spelled as "inner" in Middle English, which eventually became "indoors" in Modern English. The word "outdoors," on the other hand, originated from the Old English word "outees" meaning "outside." As architecture evolved, buildings became more complex, with multi-level structures, windows, and separate indoor and outdoor spaces. The meaning of "indoors" expanded to incorporate all the spaces inside a building, excluding those in the open air or exposed to the elements. In summary, the word "indoors" originated during the medieval era as a description of the spaces within a building's walls, and its meaning eventually evolved to encompass all the interior spaces of a constructed structure, excluding outdoor and open-air areas.