Dictionary

inimitable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ɪnˈɪmɪtəbl̩/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French inimitable, from Latin inimitabilis, corresponding to in- + imitable.

Meanings

1. Beyond imitation, surpassing all others; matchless.
   • Let's see you pay for your drink in your own inimitable fashion, huh? A song, Denton! How about it? 1959, “Mr. Denton on Doomsday” (1:34 from the start), in The Twilight Zone, season 1, episode 3, spoken by Dan Hotaling (Martin Landau):
   • Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-ſtroaks ſharp (Nummus aſper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well poliſh'd; the Contours neatly trimm'd, and exactly round and carefully preſerv'd; that the Extancy and Relievos correſpond with the Ingraving, and have not ſuffer'd in Percuſſion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Antiquity and Excellency to be diſcern'd in Antient Medals almoſt inimitable. 1697, J[ohn] Evelyn, “Instructions How to Collect, and Procure such Medals as are Antique, and Rare; and to Distinguish the True from the False, for the Prevention of Frauds and Impostures”, in Numismata. A Discourse of Medals, Antient and Modern. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke […], →OCLC, page 201:
   • Sterling himself, though he had the most picturesque and inimitable vocabulary of vituperation, was highly squeamish about ordinary smut or profanity. He had indeed that nice-Nelliness which is often characteristic of the Don Juan type. 1947, Miriam Allen deFord, “Laureate of Bohemia: George Sterlin”, in They Were San Franciscans, Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., page 306:

Forms

Antonyms

imitable · imitable · commonplace

Deriveds

inimitability · inimitableness · inimitably

Relateds

illimitable

Synonyms

uncopiable · unimitable · inimitable · incopiable

Translations (19)

tr benzersiz (beyond imitation) · ja 真似を許さない (beyond imitation) · gv neuarrishagh (beyond imitation) · ja 独特の (beyond imitation) · tr eşsiz (beyond imitation) · pl niepowtarzalny (beyond imitation) · de unnachahmlich (beyond imitation) · hu utánozhatatlan (beyond imitation) · el αμίμητος (beyond imitation) · es inimitable (beyond imitation) · fr inimitable (beyond imitation) · pl niezrównany (beyond imitation) · nl onnavolgbaar (beyond imitation) · fi jäljittelemätön (beyond imitation) · ru неподража́емый (beyond imitation) · pt inimitável (beyond imitation) · eo neimitebla (beyond imitation) · pl niepodrabialny (beyond imitation) · bg неподражаем (beyond imitation)