English Explanatory Dictionary

ineffable

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Beyond expression in words; unspeakable.
  2. Forbidden to be uttered; taboo.

Pronunciation

/ɪˈnɛf.ə.bəl/ /ˌɪnˈɛf.ə.bəl/ en-us-ineffable.ogg en-au-ineffable.ogg

Word forms

ineffable

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *ən- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂ti Proto-Italic *fāōr Latin for Latin effārī, effor Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin effābilis Latin ineffābilislbor. Middle French ineffablebor. English ineffable Borrowed from Middle French ineffable, a learned borrowing from Latin ineffābilis, from in- + effābilis.

Synonyms

indescribable inexpressible unspeakable indefinable undescribable indicible untold ineffable inenarrable inutterable nameless termless undefinable unnameable unspecifiable unutterable taboo

Antonyms

effable

Related words

effability effable ineffability ineffableness ineffably
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