ineffable
UK /ɪˈnɛf.ə.bəl/ · US /ˌɪnˈɛf.ə.bəl/ adjective, noun
Forms ineffables
- adjective Beyond expression in words; unspeakable.
- adjective Forbidden to be uttered; taboo.
- noun Something that is beyond utterance; something unspeakable.
Synonyms
indescribable inexpressible unspeakable indefinable undescribable indicible untold inenarrable inutterable nameless termless undefinable unnameable unspecifiable unutterable taboo untellable
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French ineffable, a learned borrowing from Latin ineffābilis, from in- (“not”) + effābilis (“utterable”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Incapable of being expresses in words; unspeakable; unutterable; indescribable; as, the ineffable joys of heaven.
Etymology [L. ineffabilis: cf. F. ineffable. See In- not, and Effable, Fame.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ineffable”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details