indeclinable

[ in-di-klahy-nuh-buhl ]

adjective

, Grammar.

1. not capable of being declined; having no inflected forms: used especially of a word belonging to a form class most of whose members are declined, as the Latin adjective decem, “ten.”

indeclinable

/ ˌɪndɪˈklaɪnəbəl /

adjective

1. (of a noun or pronoun) having only one form; not declined for case or number

Derived Forms

• ˌindeˈclinableness, noun
• ˌindeˈclinably, adverb

Other Words From

• inde·clina·ble·ness noun
• inde·clina·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indeclinable¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin indēclīnābilis unchangeable, inflexible. See in- ³, declinable

Example Sentences

The indeclinable, remain as simple adjuncts to the verbs, and the latter put on the negative form.

From Project Gutenberg

The same nouns may be partly declinable and partly indeclinable, and in some of their cases may have fallen out of use.

From Project Gutenberg

Both these forms of Comparison have an aspirated as well as a primary form, but are otherwise indeclinable.

From Project Gutenberg

The genitives his (his, its), hiere (her), hiera (their) are used as indeclinable possessives.

From Project Gutenberg

Fas was at all times indeclinable, and is rarely found even as an accusative, as in Virg.

From Project Gutenberg