ineffaceable

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Pronunciation

/ˌɪnɪˈfeɪsəbəl/(in-ih-FAY-suh-bul)

Part of speech

adjectiveformal/literary

Chinese

不可抹去的；无法消除的

Definition

Unable to be erased or removed; leaving a permanent mark or memory.

Word family

  • ineffaceably/ˌɪnɪˈfeɪsəbli/(adv)不可抹去地

Collocations

  • ineffaceable impression
  • ineffaceable memory
  • ineffaceable mark
  • ineffaceable stain

Examples

  1. 1.The trauma left an ineffaceable scar on her psyche, shaping every relationship that followed. (cannot be erased)
  2. 2.Certain historical events create ineffaceable shifts in collective consciousness. (permanently marking)

Synonyms

  • indelible/ɪnˈdɛlɪbəl/— cannot be erased — more common word
  • irremovable/ˌɪrɪˈmuːvəbəl/— cannot be removed
  • permanent/ˈpɜːrmənənt/— lasting indefinitely

Etymology

from French "ineffaçable" — in- (not) + effacer (to erase) — from Latin "ex" (out) + "facies" (face) — cannot be faced out / erased