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Unintelligible: meaning, definitions and examples

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unintelligible

 

[ ˌʌnɪnˈtelɪdʒɪb(ə)l ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

communication

Impossible to understand or comprehend.

Synonyms

cryptic, incomprehensible, opaque

Examples of usage

  • His speech was so fast that it became unintelligible.
  • The technical jargon used in the manual was unintelligible to most users.
Context #2 | Adjective

sound

Not able to be understood because of being unclear or garbled.

Synonyms

garbled, indistinct, muffled

Examples of usage

  • The audio recording was so distorted that it became unintelligible.
  • The signal was so weak that the radio broadcast became unintelligible.

Translations

Translations of the word "unintelligible" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ininteligível

🇮🇳 अस्पष्ट

🇩🇪 unverständlich

🇮🇩 tidak dapat dimengerti

🇺🇦 незрозумілий

🇵🇱 niezrozumiały

🇯🇵 理解できない

🇫🇷 inintelligible

🇪🇸 ininteligible

🇹🇷 anlaşılmaz

🇰🇷 이해할 수 없는

🇸🇦 غير مفهوم

🇨🇿 nesrozumitelný

🇸🇰 nezrozumiteľný

🇨🇳 难以理解的

🇸🇮 nerazumljiv

🇮🇸 óskiljanlegur

🇰🇿 түсініксіз

🇬🇪 გაუგებარი

🇦🇿 anlaşılmaz

🇲🇽 ininteligible

Etymology

The word 'unintelligible' originated in the late 16th century, combining the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' with 'intelligible,' which comes from the Latin word 'intelligere,' meaning 'to understand.' Over the centuries, it has been used to describe things that are impossible to understand or comprehend, whether in communication or sound.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #14,642, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.