inscrutability

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪnˌskruːtəˈbɪləti/ UK /ɪnˌskruːtəˈbɪləti/ See IPA manual

Freq #246361

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being difficult or impossible to understand or interpret

The witness's calm expression had an unsettling inscrutability.
2

noun
the quality of being impossible to investigate

the inscrutability of the future
3

noun
The condition of being inscrutable

What about Mrs. Cavendish? I watched her as she sat at the head of the table, graceful, composed, enigmatic. In her soft grey frock, with white ruffles at the wrists falling over her slender hands, she looked very beautiful. When she chose, however, her face could be sphinx-like in its inscrutability.
4

noun
Something that is inscrutable.

the inscrutabilities of advanced mathematics

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... mysteriousness opacity

Word family

Related forms inscrutablenessinscrutably

Etymology

From inscrutable + -ity. Inscrutable comes from Late Latin inscrutabilis, 'unsearchable,' formed from in- ('not') + scrutari ('to search or examine').

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# inscrutability

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˌskruːtəˈbɪləti/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˌskruːtəˈbɪləti/
**Frequency rank:** 246361

## Meanings
1. the quality of being difficult or impossible to understand or interpret
2. the quality of being impossible to investigate
3. The condition of being inscrutable
4. Something that is inscrutable.

## Examples
- The witness's calm expression had an unsettling inscrutability.
- the inscrutability of the future
- What about Mrs. Cavendish? I watched her as she sat at the head of the table, graceful, composed, enigmatic. In her soft grey frock, with white ruffles at the wrists falling over her slender hands, she looked very beautiful. When she chose, however, her face could be sphinx-like in its inscrutability.
- the inscrutabilities of advanced mathematics

## Related Forms
- inscrutableness
- inscrutably

## Etymology
From inscrutable + -ity. Inscrutable comes from Late Latin inscrutabilis, 'unsearchable,' formed from in- ('not') + scrutari ('to search or examine').

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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