Word of the Day: Ineffable


Ineffable:  i-ne-fa-bal

Part of speech:  adjective

Origin:  Late Middle English

1.  Too big or extreme for words to express.

2.  Not to be spoken of due to its sacredness.

3.  In describable.

Examples used in a sentence:

1.  I felt ineffable joy when my daughter was born.

2.  In certain religions, God is as mysterious as his or her or its ineffable name.

About Ineffable:

Ineffable carries an interesting role in religious history, as it can be used to describe things both too sacred to be discussed and to evil to be mentioned.  For example, a divine creator’s mercy might be considered ineffable, but so too could the whispering influence of the devil.

Did You Know?

Ineffable is a bit ironic by its very nature – it’s a word used to describe something that can’t be described in words.

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