inalienable

See also: inaliénable

English
WOTD – 4 July 2009

Etymology

Borrowed around 1645 from French inaliénable, from in- + aliénable (“alienable”).

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɪˈneɪ.lɪ.ə.nə.bəl/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɪˈneɪ.li.ə.nə.bəl/
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Adjective

inalienable (not comparable)

  1. Incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred to another; not alienable.
    inalienable right a right that cannot be given away
  2. (grammar) Of or pertaining to a noun belonging to a special class in which the possessive construction differs from the norm, especially for particular familial relationships and body parts.

Usage notes

While inalienable and unalienable are today used interchangeably (with inalienable the more common) the terms have historically sometimes been distinguished.[1]

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

References
  1. “Unalienable” vs. “Inalienable”, Alfred Adask, Adask’s law, July 15, 2009, 3:56 PM

Spanish

Adjective

inalienable (plural inalienables)

  1. inalienable
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