immutable

adjective

im·​mu·​ta·​ble (ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-bəl 

: not capable of or susceptible to change

immutability

(ˌ)i(m)-ˌmyü-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

immutableness

(ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-bəl-nəs 

noun

immutably

(ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

Immutable may describe something that is incapable of change, but the word itself—like all words—is mutable, both capable of and prone to alteration. To put a finer point on it, if language were fixed, we wouldn’t have immutable itself, which required a variety of mutations of the Latin verb mutare (“to change”) to reach our tongues (or pens, keyboards, or touchscreens—oh the many permutations of communication!). Other English words that can be traced back to mutare include mutate, transmute, and commute. Which reminds us—the mutability of language makes great food for thought during one’s commute.

Synonyms

• fixed
• hard-and-fast
• inalterable
• incommutable
• inflexible
• invariable
• unalterable
• unchangeable

Examples of immutable in a Sentence

the immutable laws of nature

one of the immutable laws of television is that low ratings inevitably lead to cancellation

Recent Examples on the Web

The exhibition intimates that art and science are not immutable areas of study but culturally specific and ever-evolving concepts, their malleability belied by the monolithic nature of these terms as stated in PST ART’s theme. —Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025

Originally adopted in areas like supply chain and finance, blockchain has the ability to create immutable, auditable records. —Mrinal Manohar, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Transparent and Efficient Loan Processes Blockchain technology ensures that all loan transactions are immutable and transparent. —Chrissa McFarlane, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

Blockchains are essentially a system of contracts operating as a public, immutable ledger that can protect intellectual property. —David Pakman, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin immutabilis, from in- + mutabilis mutable

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

immutable

adjective

im·​mu·​ta·​ble (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)yüt-ə-bəl 

: impossible to change

immutability

(ˌ)im-ˌ(m)yüt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

immutably

(ˈ)im-ˈ(m)yüt-ə-blē 

adverb