impeccable
English
Etymology
From Middle French impeccable, from Latin impeccabilis (“not liable to sin”), from im- (“not”) + peccare (“to err, to sin”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɛkəbəl/
Audio (US) (file)
Adjective
impeccable (comparative more impeccable, superlative most impeccable)
- Perfect, without faults, flaws or errors
- 1821–1822, William Hazlitt, “(please specify the essay name)”, in Table-Talk; or, Original Essays, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Warren; Henry Colburn and Co.:
- The only impeccable writers are those who never wrote.
- He grew up in Norway, but he writes impeccable English.
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- Incapable of wrongdoing or sin; immaculate
- It was easy for James V to imprison Lady Glamis, but actually convicting her was far more difficult; her character was impeccable and she was highly respected by all who knew her.
Synonyms
- See Thesaurus:flawless
Derived terms
- impeccably
Related terms
- peccable
- peccant
Translations
Perfect, having no faults, flaws or errors
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Incapable of wrongdoing or sin; immaculate
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Further reading
- impeccable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- impeccable in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- impeccable at OneLook Dictionary Search
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin impeccābilis, from peccāre (whence pécher).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pɛ.kabl/, /ɛ̃.pe.kabl/
Audio (file)
Adjective
impeccable (plural impeccables)
- perfect, faultless, impeccable
Further reading
- “impeccable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.