Impalpable
/ɪmˈpælpəbəl/noun
Too slight, subtle, or intangible to be felt or grasped.
Did you know?Impalpable comes from Latin and carries a built-in negation, making it a perfect example of how language can turn physical touch into a metaphor for something so subtle it escapes the senses.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“to strike, thrust, drive”
Latin
Latin
palpare
“to touch softly, feel, stroke”
Late Latin
Latin
impalpabilis
“not to be touched or felt”
14th Century
Old French
impalpable
“not able to be felt by touch”
14th Century
English
impalpable
“too subtle or intangible to be perceived by touch or grasp”