impenetrable
/ˌɪmˈpenətɹəbəl/im-PEH-nuh-truh-buhl
/ˌɪmˈpɛnətɹəbəl/im-PEH-nuh-truh-buhl
Meaningunable to be pierced
Common meaning: impossible to get through
- imin, into
- penetrto go into, pierceLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1329 · scan
- ableable to be
‘in, into’ + ‘to go into, pierce’ → impenetrable
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin penetrō ‘to go into, pierce’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry penetrō, p. 1329 · dictionary scan
Roots
- penetrō, -āre Latin “to go into, pierce”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app