German edit

Etymology edit

un- +‎ aussprechen +‎ -lich. First attested as unûzsprechelich in spiritual literature of the 14th century, modelled after terms such as ἀνεκφώνητος, ἀνεκδιήγητος, ineffabilis.

Pronunciation edit

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Adjective edit

unaussprechlich (strong nominative masculine singular unaussprechlicher, comparative unaussprechlicher, superlative am unaussprechlichsten)

  1. unpronounceable
    Synonym: unaussprechbar
  2. unspeakable, unutterable, ineffable (so sacred, mysterious or overawing that it cannot be spoken of or described)
    Synonym: unausdrückbar
    • (Can we date this quote?), Bartholomaeus Nigrinus, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
      die fünff buchstaben dess unaußsprechlichen göttlichen namens Jehova
      the five letters of the ineffable divine name Jehova
  3. unspeakable, inexpressible, unmentionable, nameless (so horrible, shocking or immoral that the speaker shuns away from expressing it)
    Synonyms: unsäglich, unbeschreiblich, entsetzlich, unnennbar
    • (Can we date this quote?), Luther, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
      [] mich wundert, das deutsch land [] noch einen pfennig hat fur den unauszsprechlichen, untzelichen, untreglichen romischen dieben, buben und reubern
      I am surprised that Germany [] should still have a penny to spare for the unspeakable, countless, unbearable Roman thieves, knaves and robbers

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit