imponderabilia
Americanplural noun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of imponderabilia
First recorded in 1920–25; from New Latin, neuter plural of Medieval Latin imponderābilis imponderable
Explanation
Imponderabilia refers to intangible things that cannot be precisely quantified, though they do have an impact. Your favorite soccer team's success may be affected by imponderabilia such as team spirit and the intensity of fan support. The root of imponderabilia is the Latin ponderare, "to weigh." The word also includes the prefix im-, "not," and -able, "can be." Collectively, the word imponderabilia means "that which cannot be weighed" with respect to exact impact or value. Some imponderabilia include how much you love someone, the real impact of social media on an election, or the mood of an audience watching a performance. While all these things can be felt, they can't be exactly measured.
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.
One of the most telling factors, in every armed conflict between peoples, consists of the sum total of imponderabilia which elude analysis.
From England and Germany by William Morris Hughes
The answer, as K. well knows, depends upon too many imponderabilia to be worth the cost of a cable.
From Gallipoli Diary, Volume I by Sir Ian Hamilton
If we take into calculation the imponderabilia, whose weight can only be guessed at, the scale is inclined slightly in favour of the Triple Alliance.
From Germany and the Next War by Friedrich von Bernhardi
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.
