Irrevocable

/ɪˈrɛvəkəbəl/ adjective

Definition

Impossible to change, undo, or take back; final and permanent.

Etymology

From Latin 'irrevocabilis,' combining 'ir-' (not) and 'revocabilis' (able to be called back), from 'revocare' (to call back or revoke). The word entered English in the 14th century and was especially popular in legal contexts.

Kelly Says

The word 'irrevocable' comes from the legal idea of a 'revocation'—yet in the modern era of computers, almost nothing is truly irrevocable anymore since we can often recover deleted files or undo actions. This shows how technology is literally changing the meaning of ancient words!

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