ineffable

[in-ef-uh-buhl]

adjective

1. incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible.

   ineffable joy.

2. not to be spoken because of its sacredness; unutterable.

   the ineffable name of the deity.

   Synonyms: unspeakable

ineffable

/ ɪnˈɛfəbəl /

adjective

1. too great or intense to be expressed in words; unutterable

2. too sacred to be uttered

3. indescribable; indefinable

Other Word Forms

• ineffability noun
• ineffableness noun
• ineffably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ineffable¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word ineffābilis. See in- ³, effable

Word History and Origins

Origin of ineffable¹

C15: from Latin ineffābilis unutterable, from _in- ¹ + effābilis, from effārī to utter, from fārī to speak

Example Sentences

With Frankenstein, he worries he’ll jinx the monster by talking too much about him, snuffing out the ineffable thing that he says fueled his performance.

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From the title “Is There Anybody Out There?” to the lyrics “living infinite lives / are they mine?” from “It All Comes Back,” Schneider asks ineffable questions in poignant songs often imbued with quirky, understated profundity.

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“It’s not just fatigue — it’s an ineffable, system wide cry for help and I don’t know how long I can remain in this state,” Moriarty continues in her text to her mother.

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That ineffable feeling of danger is what drew so many people to FLAG’s Memorial Day performance.

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She wasn’t so much superstitious as obedient, devoted to making the ineffable routine and mysticism accessible even to the uninitiated.

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Related Words

• ethereal 
• heavenly 
• indescribable 
• transcendent 
• unspeakable