invisible

American  

[in-viz-uh-buhl] / ɪnˈvɪz ə bəl /

adjective

1. not visible; not perceptible by the eye.

   invisible fluid.

2. withdrawn from or out of sight; hidden.

   an invisible seam.

   Synonyms:

   obscure, veiled

3. not perceptible or discernible by the mind.

   invisible differences.

4. not ordinarily found in financial statements or reflected in statistics or a listing.

   Goodwill is an invisible asset to a business.

5. concealed from public knowledge.

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noun

1. an invisible thing or being.

2. the invisible, the unseen or spiritual world.

invisible British  

/ ɪnˈvɪzəbəl /

adjective

1. not visible; not able to be perceived by the eye

   invisible rays

2. concealed from sight; hidden

3. not easily seen or noticed

   invisible mending

4. kept hidden from public view; secret; clandestine

5. economics of or relating to services rather than goods in relation to the invisible balance

   invisible earnings

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noun

1. economics an invisible item of trade; service

Other Word Forms

• invisibility noun
• invisibleness noun
• invisibly adverb
• quasi-invisible adjective
• quasi-invisibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of invisible

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word invīsibilis. See in- ³, visible

Example Sentences

"On the world's biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside," Malinin wrote.

From Barron's

I feel vaguely inadequate when I must explain my identity to younger strangers, even more when I seem invisible to them altogether.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company maintains a growing inventory of “Private Exclusives”—properties marketed only through its own platforms, invisible to anyone searching on Zillow, Realtor.com or competing portals.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like many social institutions, Valentine’s Day solves an invisible problem with visible behavior.

From The Wall Street Journal

The complexity of the situation lies here: The invisible yet palpable alchemy of two souls dancing with each other through life in harmony is just that — a dance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• imperceptible
• microscopic
• unseen