indelible

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈdeləbəl/ UK /ɪnˈdeləbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #37081

Meanings

1

adj
impossible or very difficult to erase, wash away, or remove

Voters dipped a finger in indelible ink after casting their ballots.
2

adj
impossible to forget or having a permanent influence

Her first sight of the ruined city left an indelible impression on her memory.
3

adj
in Christian theology, permanently marking the soul and therefore incapable of being annulled

In that doctrine, ordination confers an indelible spiritual character.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · impossible or very... permanentinerasableineradicable

2 adj · impossible to forget or... unforgettable lasting enduring

3 adj · in christian theology,... permanent irrevocable

Opposites

erasableremovable temporary forgettable

Word family

Forms indelibly

Derived forms indelibleness

Related forms indelibilityindeliblydelete

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

indelible ink
ink that leaves a mark which is very difficult to remove

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin indelebilis ("indestructible, imperishable"), formed from in- ("not") + delere ("to destroy, erase") + -bilis ("able"). Delete comes from the same Latin verb. The figurative sense extends a mark that cannot be erased to a memory or influence that cannot be removed.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# indelible

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈdeləbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈdeləbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 37081

## Meanings
1. impossible or very difficult to erase, wash away, or remove
2. impossible to forget or having a permanent influence
3. in Christian theology, permanently marking the soul and therefore incapable of being annulled

## Examples
- Voters dipped a finger in indelible ink after casting their ballots.
- Her first sight of the ruined city left an indelible impression on her memory.
- In that doctrine, ordination confers an indelible spiritual character.

## Synonyms
- permanent
- inerasable
- ineradicable
- unforgettable
- lasting

## Antonyms
- erasable
- removable
- temporary
- forgettable

## Derived Forms
- indelibleness

## Related Forms
- indelibility
- indelibly
- delete

## Etymology
From Latin indelebilis ("indestructible, imperishable"), formed from in- ("not") + delere ("to destroy, erase") + -bilis ("able"). Delete comes from the same Latin verb. The figurative sense extends a mark that cannot be erased to a memory or influence that cannot be removed.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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