Ineffability: meaning, definitions and examples
🌌
ineffability
[ ɪˈnɛf.ə.bɪ.lɪ.ti ]
abstract concept
Ineffability refers to the quality of being too great or extreme to be expressed in words. It often describes experiences or feelings that transcend verbal description, highlighting the limitations of language in capturing profound or sublime experiences.
Synonyms
ineffableness, inexpressibility, unutterability.
Examples of usage
- The ineffability of love can leave us speechless.
- Many spiritual experiences are marked by their ineffability.
- The ineffability of nature's beauty took their breath away.
Translations
Translations of the word "ineffability" in other languages:
🇵🇹 inefabilidade
🇮🇳 अव्यक्तता
🇩🇪 Ineffabilität
🇮🇩 ketidakberdayaan
🇺🇦 непередавність
🇵🇱 ineffabilność
🇯🇵 言葉では表現できないこと
🇫🇷 ineffabilité
🇪🇸 inefabilidad
🇹🇷 anlatılamazlık
🇰🇷 형언할 수 없음
🇸🇦 عدم القدرة على التعبير
🇨🇿 ineffabilita
🇸🇰 ineffabilita
🇨🇳 不可言喻
🇸🇮 inefabilnost
🇮🇸 óhugsanleiki
🇰🇿 сөзбұйда
🇬🇪 არასრულყოფილება
🇦🇿 ifadəedilməzlik
🇲🇽 inefabilidad
Etymology
The word ineffability is derived from the Latin root word 'ineffabilis,' which means 'that cannot be expressed.' The prefix 'in-' denotes negation, while 'effabilis' is related to 'effari,' meaning 'to speak out' or 'to express.' The term made its way into English in the early 17th century, capturing the essence of experiences or emotions that surpass verbal articulation. Its usage often appears in philosophical, theological, and literary contexts, where the limitations of human language are emphasized when trying to express certain profound truths or sublime experiences. Throughout its history, ineffability has been linked to discussions about the divine, beauty, and the complexities of human emotions, often serving as a bridge between the spoken and the unspeakable.