incorporeal
UK: ˌɪnkɔːˈpɔːriəl | US: ˌɪnkɔːrˈpɔːriəl
adj. lacking physical form or substance; intangible
adj. (law) not recognized as having material existence (e.g., rights or property)
incorporeal = in<not> + corpor<body> + eal<adjective suffix>
- in (Latin prefix): Negation, meaning "not."
- corpor (Latin corpus): Root meaning "body" or "physical form."
- eal (Latin -alis): Adjective-forming suffix indicating "relating to."
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin incorporeus (in- "not" + corpus "body"), the word entered English in the late 16th century via legal and philosophical contexts. It originally described abstract concepts (e.g., spirits, legal rights) that lacked material existence. The morpheme corpor persists in related terms like "corporeal" (physical) and "corporation" (a legal "body"). The prefix in- systematically negates the root, creating a clear dichotomy between tangible and intangible realms.
Ghosts are often depicted as incorporeal beings.
Copyright is an incorporeal form of property.
The philosopher argued that thoughts are incorporeal yet real.
Medieval scholars debated whether angels were corporeal or incorporeal.
Digital assets challenge legal systems due to their incorporeal nature.