inimitable

/ˌɪˈnɪmətəbəl/ih-NIH-muh-tuh-buhl

/ˌɪˈnɪmətəbəl/ih-NIH-muh-tuh-buhl

Meaningunable to be copied

Common meaning: impossible to copy

Other meanings: unique

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
imitto copy, imitateLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 890 · scan
ableable to be

‘in, into’ + ‘to copy, imitate’ → inimitable

Journey through time

Latinimitor, -ārī‘to copy, imitate’
Frenchinimitable
Englishinimitable‘impossible to copy’ · today

in- also in: incest incite induce infamy infant

imit also in: imitate

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin imitor ‘to copy, imitate’.

Roots

imitor, -ārī Latin “to copy, imitate”

Related words

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