unaussprechlich

German

Etymology

un- + aussprechen + -lich. First attested as unûzsprechelich in spiritual literature of the 14th century, modelled after terms such as ἀνεκφώνητος, ἀνεκδιήγητος, ineffabilis.

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Adjective

unaussprechlich (comparative unaussprechlicher, superlative am unaussprechlichsten)

  1. unpronounceable
    • eine sprache .. für fremdlinge ganz unaussprechlich (Herder)
      "a language ... wholly unpronounceable for foreigners"
  2. unspeakable, unutterable, ineffable (so sacred, mysterious or overawing that it cannot be spoken of or described)
    • die fünff buchstaben dess unaußsprechlichen göttlichen namens Jehova (Bartholomaeus Nigrinus)
      "the five letters of the ineffable divine name Jehova"
  3. unspeakable, inexpressible, unmentionable, nameless (so horrible, shocking or immoral that the speaker shuns away from expressing it)
    • mich wundert, das deutsch land .. noch einen pfennig hat fur den unauszsprechlichen, untzelichen, untreglichen romischen dieben, buben und reubern (Luther)
      "I am surprised that Germany ... should still have a penny to spare for the unspeakable, countless, unbearable Roman thieves, knaves and robbers"

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • aussprechlich
  • Unaussprechlichkeit

Further reading

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