First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
indelible
adjective in·del·i·ble \in-ˈde-lə-bəl\
: impossible to remove or forget
: producing marks that cannot be erased
Full Definition of INDELIBLE
1
a : that cannot be removed, washed away, or erased b : making marks that cannot easily be removed <an indelible pencil>
2
a : lasting <indelible memories> b : unforgettable, memorable <an indelible performance>
— in·del·i·bil·i·ty \(ˌ)in-ˌde-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— in·del·i·bly \in-ˈde-lə-blē\ adverb
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Examples of INDELIBLE
- But the most indelible evening of the rebellion for me was the night I had first got beaten. —Amiri Baraka, The Autobiography of Leroi Jones, 1984
- All wars change society and hence leave an indelible imprint on literary culture. —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times Book Review, 15 Apr. 1984
- The illustrator of children's books surpasses other artists in the impressionability of his audience; it is beyond calculation, no doubt, what touches will produce an indelible effect, when the receiving surface of a child's psyche is so soft and mysteriously laden and momentous with its own raw energy. —John Updike, New York Times Book Review, 4 Dec. 1983
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Origin of INDELIBLE
Middle English indelyble, from Medieval Latin indelibilis, alteration of Latin indelebilis, from in- + delēre to delete
Related to INDELIBLE
- Synonyms
- unforgettable, memorable
- Antonyms
- forgettable
Rhymes with INDELIBLE
INDELIBLY Defined for Kids
indelible
adjective in·del·i·ble \in-ˈde-lə-bəl\
Definition of INDELIBLE for Kids
1
: impossible to remove or forget <He made an indelible impression.>
2
: making marks not easily removed <indelible ink>
— in·del·i·bly \-blē\ adverb
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