ineffable
UK: ɪnˈɛfəb(ə)l | US: ɪnˈɛfəbəl
adj. too great or extreme to be expressed in words
adj. (theology) beyond human ability to describe or name
ineffable = in<not> + eff<speak> + able<capable of>
- in-: Prefix meaning "not" (from Latin in-).
- eff-: Root derived from Latin effari ("to speak out," from ex- "out" + fari "to speak").
- -able: Suffix meaning "capable of" (from Latin -abilis).
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin ineffabilis, combining in- (negation) with effabilis ("speakable"). The root fari ("to speak") appears in words like "fable" and "fate" (originally "spoken decree"). Over time, ineffabilis evolved into Old French ineffable, retaining its sense of the unspeakable—whether due to sacredness, intensity, or impossibility of description.
The beauty of the sunset was ineffable, leaving us silent in awe.
Mystics often describe divine experiences as ineffable.
She felt an ineffable joy when reunited with her family.
The poem captures the ineffable melancholy of autumn.
Some emotions are so profound they remain ineffable.