immemorial
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of immemorial
From the Medieval Latin word immemoriālis, dating back to 1595–1605. See im- 2, memorial
Explanation
Anything immemorial is very, very old. You're most likely to hear this word in the phrase "time immemorial," a common way to say "so long ago that no one remembers it." The French immémorial means "old beyond memory," from a Latin root. Don't confuse this adjective with immemorable, which is sometimes used instead, but which literally means "not worth remembering." Immemorial is a perfect way to describe ancient things, including stories, customs, religions, and even time itself.
Vocabulary lists containing immemorial
This Week in Words: March 30–April 5, 2019
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Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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"The Witch Boy" by Molly Knox Ostertag
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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.
"Uganda has been ready for a civilian leader since time immemorial," he insists, adding that according to Uganda's constitution, the military must be subordinate to the civilian authority.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
But the film, which hit theaters this Friday, is an attempt to upend many of the narrative tropes that have defined stories about disfigured and disabled people since time immemorial.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2024
Her memoir about her friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, “Just Kids,” will inspire bright young things for time immemorial, and albums like “Horses”and “Easter” still sound as bracing they did on release day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2024
Researchers compared the genomes of the modern and historic individuals and found they belong to a unified lineage, supporting Blackfoot oral traditions that attest to their people’s presence here since time immemorial.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 3, 2024
But old Grandma always used to say, “Back in time immemorial, things were different, the animals could talk to human beings and many magical things still happened.”
From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
