US /ˌɪmˈprɛgnəbəl/ UK /ɪmˈpɹɛɡ.nəˌb(ə)l/
adj Freq #28716

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    incapable of being overcome, challenged or refuted

    An impregnable argument.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · incapable of being... inexpugnable
Word family
Forms impregnably
Derived forms impregnabilityimpregnablenessimpregnably

Etymology

From Late Middle English imprenable, impregnable (“impossible to capture, impregnable”), from Old French imprenable (modern French imprenable (“impregnable”)), from im- (a variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + prenable (“(military) of a building, position, etc.: takable”) (from prendre (“to take”) + -able (suffix meaning ‘creating an effect or influence’)). Prendre is derived from Latin prēndere, present active infinitive of prēndō, a variant of prehendō (“to catch, lay hold of; to grasp; to grab, snatch; to seize, take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to find; to hold; to sei...

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