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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

unpronounceable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

Etymology

Etymology tree English un- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Latin prō- Latin nūntius Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin nūntiō Latin prōnūntiōbor. Old French prononcierbor. Middle English pronouncen English pronounce Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English pronounceable English unpronounceable From un- + pronounceable.

Meanings

  1. Impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate.
    • A Hungarian baron, with an unpronounceable name, had that very morning been so struck with Lady Penrhyn's beauty, that, not knowing she was married, he laid himself, castle, sabre, and fur pelisses at her feet, for immediate acceptance. 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 166:
    • In many ways, the salarian political network functions like the noble families of Earth's Medieval Europe. Structurally the government consists of fiefdoms, baronies, duchies, planets, and marches (colonization clusters). These are human nicknames; the original salarian is unpronounceable. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Salarians: Government Codex entry:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
unpronouncible alternative, rare lexicographic
more unpronounceable Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most unpronounceable Degree=Sup lexicographic

Deriveds

unpronounceably · unpronounceability

Translations (25)

el απρόφερτος (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · gl impronunciable (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · ca impronunciable (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · de unaussprechlich (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · es impronunciable (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · fi vaikeasti äännettävä (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · be невымо́ўны (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · el κακοπρόφερτος (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · nl onuitspreekbaar (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · fr imprononçable (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · el δυσκολοπρόφερτος (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · de unaussprechbar (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · af onuitspreekbaar (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · ro impronunțabil (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · pl niewymawialny (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · fi vaikeasti lausuttava (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · el δυσπρόφερτος (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · io nepronuncebla (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · be невымаўля́льны (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · ru непроизноси́мый (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · it impronunciabile (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · pt impronunciável (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · gl impronunciábel (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · io neartikulebla (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate) · uk невимо́вний (impossible or difficult to pronounce or articulate)

unpronounceable en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Etymology tree English un- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Latin prō- Latin nūntius Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin nūntiō Latin prōnūntiōbor. Old French prononcierbor. Middle English pronouncen English pronounce Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English pronounceable English unpronounceable From un- + pronounceable.

Meanings

  1. Something, especially an ingredient, that is difficult or impossible to pronounce.
    • Synthetic fragrances can contain a laundry list of chemicals — hormone disrupters, petroleum-derived unpronounceables, asthma triggers and on and on. 2009 March 13, “Natural Selection”, in New York Times:
    • Finally, if there are some “unpronounceables” in the list, ensure that they are minimal and not artificial anything—artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, or sweeteners. 2010, Deanna M. Minich, An A-Z Guide to Food Additives:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
unpronounceables Number=Plur lexicographic
unpronouncible alternative, rare lexicographic

Synonyms

mouthful · jawbreaker