ineligible

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈɛlɪdʒəbəl/ UK /ɪnˈelɪdʒəbəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #56448

Meanings

1

adj
not qualified or permitted to be chosen, receive something, or take part

Employees of the organizer are ineligible to enter the competition.
2

adj
dated: unsuitable or undesirable as a choice, especially for marriage, residence, or appointment

The damp and isolated house was considered an ineligible residence.
3

noun
a person who is not eligible

The policy divides applicants into eligibles and ineligibles.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not qualified or permitted... disqualified unqualified

2 adj · dated: unsuitable or... unsuitable undesirable

3 noun · a person who is not eligible disqualified person

Opposites

eligible qualified suitable

Word family

Derived forms ineligibilityineligibly

Related forms eligible elect

Etymology

From French ineligible, formed from in- ('not') plus eligible, ultimately Latin eligere ('to choose, select'). Alongside the modern rule-based sense, nineteenth-century English also used it for a person, place, or option judged unsuitable or undesirable.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# ineligible

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈɛlɪdʒəbəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈelɪdʒəbəl/
**Frequency rank:** 56448

## Meanings
1. not qualified or permitted to be chosen, receive something, or take part
2. dated: unsuitable or undesirable as a choice, especially for marriage, residence, or appointment
3. a person who is not eligible

## Examples
- Employees of the organizer are ineligible to enter the competition.
- The damp and isolated house was considered an ineligible residence.
- The policy divides applicants into eligibles and ineligibles.

## Synonyms
- disqualified
- unqualified
- unsuitable

## Antonyms
- eligible
- qualified
- suitable

## Derived Forms
- ineligibility
- ineligibly

## Related Forms
- eligible
- elect

## Etymology
From French ineligible, formed from in- ('not') plus eligible, ultimately Latin eligere ('to choose, select'). Alongside the modern rule-based sense, nineteenth-century English also used it for a person, place, or option judged unsuitable or undesirable.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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