Unable to be seen; not visible to the eye.
From Latin *invisibilis* “not seen,” from *in-* “not” and *visibilis* “able to be seen,” from *videre* “to see.” It has long been used for both physical and metaphorical unseen things.
Invisible things—like germs, Wi‑Fi, or social rules—often shape your life more than what you can see. Once you start noticing the invisible forces around you, the world looks very different.
'Invisible' labor and 'invisible' people often refer to unpaid or underrecognized work, much of which has historically been done by women and gender minorities (e.g., domestic work, care, administrative support). The metaphor of invisibility has been central to feminist critiques of whose contributions count.
When using 'invisible', be specific about what is being overlooked (labor, identities, harms) and avoid implying that marginalized groups are inherently hidden rather than actively ignored.
["unseen","unacknowledged","overlooked"]
Feminist scholars and activists have documented invisible labor and made it legible in policy and economics, highlighting how women’s unpaid and underpaid work underpins formal economies.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.