Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words; indescribable or unspeakable. Often used to describe profound spiritual or emotional experiences.
From Latin 'ineffabilis,' from 'in-' (not) + 'effabilis' (able to be spoken), from 'effari' (to speak out). The word literally means 'unspeakable' and has been used in English since the 14th century, often in religious or mystical contexts.
Think 'in-EFF-able'—you literally cannot 'eff' it, meaning you can't say it! The 'eff' root relates to speaking (like 'fable' comes from speaking/telling), so ineffable is something so amazing that words just fail you completely.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.