indeclinable

[ in-di-klahy-nuh-buhl ]

/ ˌɪn dɪˈklaɪ nə bəl /

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adjective Grammar.

not capable of being declined; having no inflected forms: used especially of a word belonging to a form class most of whose members are declined, as the Latin adjective decem, “ten.”

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of indeclinable

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin indēclīnābilis unchangeable, inflexible. See in-³, declinable

OTHER WORDS FROM indeclinable

in·de·clin·a·ble·ness, nounin·de·clin·a·bly, adverb

Words nearby indeclinable

indecipherable, indecision, indecisive, indecisiveness, indecl., indeclinable, indecomposable, indecorous, indecorum, indeed, in deep

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use indeclinable in a sentence

The indeclinable, remain as simple adjuncts to the verbs, and the latter put on the negative form.
The Indian in his Wigwam|Henry R. Schoolcraft
The same nouns may be partly declinable and partly indeclinable, and in some of their cases may have fallen out of use.
Cratylus|Plato
Both these forms of Comparison have an aspirated as well as a primary form, but are otherwise indeclinable.
Elements of Gaelic Grammar|Alexander Stewart
The genitives his (his, its), hiere (her), hiera (their) are used as indeclinable possessives.
Anglo-Saxon Primer|Henry Sweet

Fas was at all times indeclinable, and is rarely found even as an accusative, as in Virg.
The Religious Experience of the Roman People|W. Warde Fowler

British Dictionary definitions for indeclinable

indeclinable

/ (ˌɪndɪˈklaɪnəbəl) /

adjective

(of a noun or pronoun) having only one form; not declined for case or number

Derived forms of indeclinable

indeclinableness, nounindeclinably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012