indeclinable

American  

[in-di-klahy-nuh-buhl] / ˌɪn dɪˈklaɪ nə bəl /

adjective

Grammar.

1. 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.”

---

indeclinable British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈklaɪnəbəl /

adjective

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

---

Other Word Forms

• indeclinableness noun
• indeclinably adverb

Etymology

Origin of indeclinable

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

Example Sentences

“I have the experience of resistance and I have the experience of making indeclinable decisions.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2023

The nouns have only one declension, or rather are indeclinable, the numbers and cases being marked by various particles; but each, in this way, has the singular, dual, and plural, like the Greek.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 05 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Kerr, Robert

The Chinese language contains no alphabet; each symbol represents a different word; the substantives are indeclinable, and the verbs are without inflection.

From History of Education by Seeley, Levi

The genitives of the Third Personal Pronoun, his, his, hiere, her, hiera, their, are indeclinable.

From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by Smith, C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso)

The others are indeclinable up to þrīr tigir, etc.; the tigir being declined regularly as a plural strong u-masculine tigir, tigu, tigum, tiga.

From Icelandic Primer with Grammar, Notes and Glossary by Sweet, Henry