inaudible
UK: ɪnˈɔːdəbl | US: ɪnˈɔːdəbl
adj. unable to be heard; too quiet or faint to perceive by the ear.
inaudible = in<not> + aud<hear> + ible<capable of>
- in-: A Latin prefix meaning "not" or "without."
- aud-: Derived from Latin audire (to hear), preserved in words like audio and audience.
- -ible: A suffix of Latin origin indicating capability, akin to -able (e.g., visible).
Etymology Origin:
The word inaudible traces back to Latin inaudibilis, combining in- (negation) + audibilis (hearable). The root aud- reflects the ancient Indo-European focus on hearing (au-, as in audience or auditory). Over time, Latin audibilis evolved into English audible, with inaudible emerging as its logical opposite—capturing the idea of sound beyond human perception.
The speaker’s whisper was almost inaudible in the noisy room.
Bats emit inaudible high-frequency sounds for echolocation.
The old recording had degraded, leaving parts inaudible.
His apology was mumbled and nearly inaudible.
Ultrasonic waves are inaudible to the human ear.