interminable
UK: ɪnˈtɜːmɪnəbl | US: ɪnˈtɜːrmɪnəbl
adj. endless or seemingly endless (often used hyperbolically)
adj. incapable of being terminated; unceasing
interminable = in<not> + termin<limit, end> + able<capable of>
- in (prefix): Negation, from Latin "in-" meaning "not."
- termin (root): From Latin "terminus," meaning "boundary" or "end."
- able (suffix): From Latin "-abilis," indicating capability or tendency.
Etymology Origin:
The word "interminable" traces back to Latin "interminabilis," combining "in-" (not) + "terminare" (to limit or end). It entered Middle English via Old French, retaining its core sense of "without end." The morpheme "termin" appears in related words like "terminate" and "terminal," reinforcing the idea of boundaries. Over time, "interminable" evolved to describe not just literal endlessness but also figurative, often exaggerated, durations (e.g., "an interminable speech").
The meeting felt interminable, dragging on for hours without resolution.
Children often complain about interminable car rides.
His interminable patience amazed everyone in the room.
The desert stretched before them, an interminable expanse of sand.
She sighed at the interminable paperwork piled on her desk.