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unalienable
[ uhn-eyl-yuh-nuh-buhl, -ey-lee-uh- ]
adjective
- not transferable to another or not capable of being taken away or denied; inalienable:
The Declaration of Independence acknowledged that all humans have innate, unalienable rights.
unalienable
/ ʌnˈeɪljənəbəl /
adjective
- law a variant of inalienable
Word History and Origins
Origin of unalienable1
Example Sentences
Our revolution was based on a democracy where conceptually all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“The whole idea that we are equal in the sight of God, our maker, that we have unalienable rights, all that, that is all fundamentally a Christian worldview.”
Voters fortified gun rights in 2014, approving a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by lawmakers making the right to bear arms “unalienable” and subjecting any restrictions “to strict scrutiny.”
Max has long exhibited uncommon courage in standing up for the unalienable rights we Americans purport to uphold.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
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Related Words
More About Unalienable
What does unalienable mean?
Unalienable describes things, especially rights, that cannot be taken away, denied, or transferred to another person.
Unalienable means the same thing as inalienable, which is now the standard term.
Unalienable is no longer in common use, but it is closely associated with the phrase unalienable rights due to its appearance in the U.S. Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Thomas Jefferson actually used inalienable in early drafts of the Declaration of Independence, but the spelling was changed for the final draft. Unalienable was the preferred spelling until around the 1830s, but inalienable has completely replaced it in regular use.
Alienable is a word, but it’s rarely used. It means able to be sold or transferred.
Example: We work to make the founders’ words true—that everyone has the unalienable right to freedom.
Where does unalienable come from?
The first records of the word unalienable come from the early 1600s. It is formed from the prefix un-, meaning “not,” and alienable, which comes from the Latin verb aliēnāre, meaning “to transfer by sale.”
If something is unalienable, it’s “not for sale”—it isn’t going anywhere. Regardless of its preferred spelling, the word has always been used in a legal context. It’s most commonly used to describe rights that people believe cannot be denied to them or taken away from them by their government. Such rights involve things other than freedom, such as the ownership of property.
Did you know ... ?
What are some synonyms for unalienable?
What are some words that share a root or word element with unalienable?
What are some words that often get used in discussing unalienable?
How is unalienable used in real life?
Unalienable is no longer in common use, but it’s well known due to its use in the Declaration of Independence.
Religious freedom and celebrating religious holidays is an unalienable right to all people of all nations endowed to them by their Creator. Our hearts are with our #Uyghur sisters as they celebrate in secret. #EidMubarak. pic.twitter.com/vOz8FMfCOt
— U.S. State Dept | Office of Global Women's Issues (@StateGWI) July 31, 2020
When @SecPompeo & his Commission on Unalienable Rights use religious freedom as cover to discriminate against vulnerable people, we don't remain silent. The AJWS community mobilized to provide public comments, which you can read about here: https://t.co/mUa026aUDt
— American Jewish World Service (AJWS) (@ajws) August 4, 2020
In memory with deep respect and eternal gratitude…
Lest we forget, that our freedoms and individual liberties
are not "privileges" granted to us by a Senator, Congressman, Governor, or Mayor, but are "unalienable Rights" given by a higher, universal authority." pic.twitter.com/BkpFWnMEqx— Dwight Yoakam (@DwightYoakam) May 25, 2020
Try using unalienable!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of unalienable?
A. inalienable
B. inherent
C. optional
D. absolute
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