Dictionary

inelastic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/ (US)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- Proto-Indo-European *h₁elh₂- Proto-Indo-European *h₁l̥h₂-tósder. Ancient Greek ἐλᾰστός (elăstós) Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus New Latin elasticusbor. French élastiquebor. English elastic English inelastic From in- + elastic.

Meanings

1. (qualifier:literal or figurative) Lacking elasticity; inflexible, unyielding.
   • He spoke languidly, and only those few words, like a watch with an inelastic spring, that just ticks a moment or two and stops again. 1852, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance:
   • I cannot believe that Christ himself intended that his religion should be so inelastic, so hard and fast, so cruel as you imply. 1913, Winston Churchill, The Inside Of The Cup:
2. Insensitive to changes in price.
   • perfectly inelastic supply
   • A different approach is needed now, as there is more discretionary travel which, unlike the use of season tickets, does not have inelastic demand characteristics. 2023 April 3, 'Industry Insider', “Passengers returning to rail”, in RAIL, number 1006, page 68:
3. (US) Resistant to swings during elections; predictable.

Forms

Coordinates

rigid · nonelastic

Deriveds

deep inelastic collision · inelastically

Translations (16)

nl inelastisch (lacking elasticity) · pl nieelastyczny (lacking elasticity) · gv neuspinneydagh (lacking elasticity) · nb uelastisk (lacking elasticity) · bg нееластичен (lacking elasticity) · cy anelastig (lacking elasticity) · fr inélastique (lacking elasticity) · fi epäelastinen (lacking elasticity) · es inelástico (lacking elasticity) · it anelastico (lacking elasticity) · el ανελαστικός (lacking elasticity) · ca inelàstic (lacking elasticity) · nn uelastisk (lacking elasticity) · fi kimmoton (lacking elasticity) · ro neelastic (lacking elasticity) · tl diigkasin (lacking elasticity)