inenarrable

adjective

in·​enar·​ra·​ble ˌi-ni-ˈner-ə-bəl 

-ˈna-rə-

: incapable of being narrated : indescribable

Did you know?

Ineffable, "inenarrable," "indescribable" - English has quite a few words for expressing that which can't be expressed. The prefix in-, meaning "not," teamed up with Latin enarrare ("to explain in detail") to give us "inenarrable," and the same prefix joined with Latin effabilis ("capable of being expressed") to create "ineffable." English speakers have used "ineffable" since the 14th century, and "inenarrable" made its way into the language from French in the 15th century. "Indescribable" was a late arrival, relatively speaking - it has only been with us since the 18th century.

Synonyms

• incommunicable
• indefinable
• indescribable
• ineffable
• inexpressible
• nameless
• uncommunicable
• unspeakable
• unutterable

Examples of inenarrable in a Sentence

the filmmaker's decision to depict the essentially inenarrable phenomenon called love by means of a series of lush metaphors

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin inenarrabilis, from in- + enarrare to explain in detail, from e- + narrare to narrate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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