ineffabile

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ineffābilis (“unutterable, unpronounceable”), derived from effābilis (“utterable”), derived from effor (“to speak, say out, utter”), derived from for (“to speak, talk, say”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.nefˈfa.bi.le/
• Rhymes: -abile
• Hyphenation: i‧nef‧fà‧bi‧le

Adjective

ineffabile (plural ineffabili)

1. (literal, rare) indescribable, unspeakable, ineffable

   Synonyms: indescrivibile, indicibile, inenarrabile, inesprimibile

   • 1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto XV”, in Purgatorio [Purgatory]‎^[1], lines 67–69; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate]‎^[2], 2^nd revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

     Quello infinito e ineffabil bene
     che là sù è, così corre ad amore
     com’a lucido corpo raggio vene.

     That infinite, indescribable goodness that is up there, runs towards Love like a ray comes to a shiny surface.

   • 1336, Giovanni Boccaccio, “Libro primo, Capitolo 3 [First book, Chapter 3]”, in Filocolo‎^[3], Milan, published 1998:

     Quello eccelso e inestimabile prencipe sommo Giove, […] per la sua ineffabile providenza […]

     That great and immeasurable prince Jupiter, […] through his ineffable providence […]

   • 1336–1374, Francesco Petrarca, “LXXXI — Io son sí stanco sotto ’l fascio antico”, in Il Canzoniere, lines 5–6; republished as Daniele Ponchiroli, editor, Turin: publ. Giulio Einaudi, 1964:

     Ben venne a dilivrarmi un grande amico
     per somma et ineffabil cortesia

     A great friend came to rescue me, with noble and ineffable courtesy

2. (figurative) immense, supreme

   Synonyms: immenso, supremo

3. (informal, humorous or ironic) unparalleled, peerless, matchless, incomparable

   Synonyms: impareggiabile, incomparabile

Derived terms

• ineffabilmente

Related terms

• ineffabilità

Further reading

• ineffabile in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Adjective

ineffābile

1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular of ineffābilis