intangible
Americanadjective
-
not tangible; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things; impalpable.
-
not definite or clear to the mind.
intangible arguments.
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(of an asset, such as reputation or a patent) not physical or financial, and often not measurable or transferable, but contributing to the value of a business.
noun
adjective
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incapable of being perceived by touch; impalpable
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imprecise or unclear to the mind
intangible ideas
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(of property or a business asset) saleable though not possessing intrinsic productive value
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of intangible
First recorded in 1630–40; from Medieval Latin intangibilis; see in- 3 ( def. ), tangible ( def. )
Explanation
You can't touch this word — it is intangible. You can grasp the meaning of the word in your head, but you can't close your hands around it; you'll just put fingerprints on your monitor. The Latin verb tangere means "to touch," and the 16th-century English word tangible comes from it. Something intangible can't be touched physically, but most of the time it is understandable or even felt in the heart. Sadness can't be picked up and thrown in the garbage can because it is intangible, but you can throw away the tissues wet with tears. Laughing is intangible too, but you can hold onto movies, pets, and friends that make you laugh.
Vocabulary lists containing intangible
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
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"To Build a Fire," Vocabulary from the short story
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Common Senses: Tact, Tang ("Touch")
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That charged ambience has taken on new meaning after Ghana's famed Highlife music was inscribed recently on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a major international recognition of one of west Africa's most influential musical traditions.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
This movement contributed to the islands' deep, rich tradition of strongly distinctive music, including the melancholic morna made famous by singer Cesária Évora and declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2019.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2024
He wants the International Seabed Authority Council to establish a Committee on Intangible Underwater Cultural Heritage which can advise the Council on how mining proposals might affect Indigenous peoples’ cultural connection to the ocean.
From Salon • Jul. 15, 2024
Though the U.N. launched its “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2008, Saudi Arabia’s first entries didn’t appear until 2015.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2023
Intangible, in-tan′ji-bl, adj. not tangible or perceptible to touch.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
