immemorial
/ɪ.məˈmɔːɹi.əl/ adjective
- adjective (sometimes postpositive) That is beyond memory; ancient. “The rocks had stood overlooking the valley since time immemorial.”
Etymology
From French immémorial. By surface analysis, im- + memorial.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition; indefinitely ancient; as, existing from time immemorial. "Immemorial elms." Tennyson. "Immemorial usage or custom." Sir M. Hale. Time immemorial (Eng. Law.), a time antedating (legal) history, and beyond "legal memory" so called; formerly an indefinite time, but in 1276 this time was fixed by statute as the begining of the reign of Richard I. (1189). Proof of unbroken possession or use of any right since that date made it unnecessary to establish the original grant.
Etymology [Pref. im- not + memorial: cf. F. immémorial.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “immemorial”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details