ineffable

/ˌɪˈnefəbəl/ih-NEH-fuh-buhl

/ˌɪˈnɛfəbəl/ih-NEH-fuh-buhl

Meaningunable to be spoken out

Common meaning: too great to be put in words

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
efout
fabto speak, sayLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 766 · scan
lenoun ending (from Latin -ulus)

‘in, into’ + ‘out’ + ‘to speak, say’ → ineffable

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 for ‘to speak, say’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry for, p. 766 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry INFANT, p. 291 · dictionary scan

Roots

for, fārī, fātum Latin “to speak, say”

Related words

affable fable fate infant preface

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