inalienable

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled unalienable

US /ɪˈneɪliənəbəl/ UK /ɪˈneɪlɪənəbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #48938

Meanings

1

adj
unable to be surrendered, transferred, taken away, or denied, especially as a fundamental right

The constitution treats freedom of conscience as an inalienable right.
2

adj
linguistics: describing possession treated as an inherent or permanent relation, as with body parts or close kin in some languages

The language marks inalienable possession differently for body parts and ordinary objects.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unable to be surrendered,... unalienableinherent inviolablenontransferable

2 adj · linguistics: describing... inherent inseparable

More unsurrenderable

Opposites

alienabletransferable revocable

Word family

Derived forms inalienablyinalienabilityinalienableness

Related forms alienablealienate right possession

Etymology

Borrowed in the seventeenth century from French inalienable, formed from in- ('not') + alienable. Alienable ultimately derives from Latin alienare ('to transfer to another'). Unalienable is an established, less common parallel form.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# inalienable

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈneɪliənəbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈneɪlɪənəbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 48938

## Meanings
1. unable to be surrendered, transferred, taken away, or denied, especially as a fundamental right
2. linguistics: describing possession treated as an inherent or permanent relation, as with body parts or close kin in some languages

## Examples
- The constitution treats freedom of conscience as an inalienable right.
- The language marks inalienable possession differently for body parts and ordinary objects.

## Synonyms
- unalienable
- inherent
- inviolable
- nontransferable
- unsurrenderable

## Antonyms
- alienable
- transferable
- revocable

## Derived Forms
- inalienably
- inalienability
- inalienableness

## Related Forms
- alienable
- alienate
- right
- possession

## Etymology
Borrowed in the seventeenth century from French inalienable, formed from in- ('not') + alienable. Alienable ultimately derives from Latin alienare ('to transfer to another'). Unalienable is an established, less common parallel form.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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