impassible

English

Etymology

From Old French impassible.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpasɪbəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

impassible (comparative more impassible, superlative most impassible)

1. Unable to feel emotion; impassive.

   Synonyms: emotionless, unfeeling; see also Thesaurus:alexithymic

2. Incapable of suffering detriment or injury.
   • 1653 (indicated as 1654), Jeremy Taylor, “The Real Presence and Spiritual of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, Proved against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation. Section XI. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation is Wholly Without, and against, Reason.”, in Reginald Heber, editor, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. […], volume X, London: Ogle, Duncan, and Co. […]; and Richard Priestley, […], published 1822, →OCLC, paragraph 5, page 21:

     [W]e say it is unreasonable, that this [the bread or host of the Eucharist] should be changed into flesh, […] into that body of Christ, which is in heaven; he remaining there, and being whole and impassible, and unfrangible, this, we say, is unreasonable and impossible: […]

3. (chiefly theology) Unable to suffer, or feel pain.
4. Misspelling of impassable.

Related terms

• passible
• impassive
• impatient

Translations

unable to feel emotion

• Bulgarian: безчувствен (bg) (bezčuvstven)

unable to suffer, or feel pain

• Bulgarian: нечувствителен (към болка) (nečuvstvitelen (kǎm bolka))

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin impassibilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.pa.sibl/

Adjective

impassible (plural impassibles)

1. (theology) impassible
2. impassive

Derived terms

• impassiblement
• impassibilité

Further reading

• “impassible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.