irreplaceable

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *né
Proto-Indo-European *n̥-
Proto-Italic *n̥-
Latin in-bor.
Middle English in-
English ir-
Proto-Italic *wre-
Latin re-
Old French re-bor.
Middle English re-
English re-
English place
English replace
Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom
Proto-Italic *-ðlom
Proto-Italic *-ðlis
Latin -bilis
Latin -ābilis
Old French -ablebor.
Middle English -able
English -able
English replaceable
English irreplaceable

    From ir- + replaceable.

    Pronunciation

    • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɪɹ.ɪˈpleɪ.sə.bəl/
    • (UK, US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˌɪɹ.əˈpleɪ.sə.bəl/
      • Audio (London):(file)
    • (Australia) IPA(key): /ˌɪɹ.əˈplæɪ.sə.bəl/

    Adjective

    irreplaceable (not comparable)

    1. Incapable of being replaced, especially because of uniqueness or finiteness.
      irreplaceable batteries
      irreplaceable family portrait
      irreplaceable team member
      • 1960, Economist Intelligence Unit (Great Britain), The Commonwealth and Europe (page 182)
        For some purposes lead is unique and, apparently, irreplaceable. Battery plates may be an example of this.
      • 2021 February 20, Hannah Selinger, “Who Is Still Buying VHS Tapes?”, in The New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 March 2022:
        But whether or not the VCR makes a complete comeback, VHS enthusiasts agree that these tapes occupy an irreplaceable place in culture.

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

    Translations

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