indecipherable
UK: ˌɪndɪˈsaɪfərəbl | US: ˌɪndɪˈsaɪfərəbl
adj. impossible to read or understand due to being unclear, garbled, or coded
indecipherable = in<not> + decipher<decode> + able<capable of>
- in (prefix): Negation, from Latin in- meaning "not."
- decipher (root): From Old French dechiffrer (de- "undo" + chiffre "code"), meaning "to decode."
- able (suffix): From Latin -abilis, indicating capability.
Etymology Origin:
The word "indecipherable" emerged in the early 19th century, combining the negative prefix in- with "decipher," which itself derives from efforts to crack coded messages. The suffix -able reinforces the idea of incapability—literally "not capable of being decoded." The term reflects the frustration of encountering unreadable text, whether due to poor handwriting, encryption, or symbolic complexity.
The ancient manuscript was so faded that it became indecipherable.
His handwriting is nearly indecipherable without careful study.
The spy’s coded message proved indecipherable to enemy cryptographers.
Technical jargon can render scientific papers indecipherable to laypeople.
The artifact bore indecipherable symbols, baffling archaeologists.