Impossible
/ɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/noun
Not able to be done or achieved.
Did you know?“Impossible” comes from Latin impossibilis, and the same root behind “possible” ultimately traces back to a word for “being able,” so the term is literally a linguistic lock on possibility.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
impossibilis
“not possible; unable to be done”
Late Latin
Latin
possibilis
“possible; able to be done”
Latin
Latin
posse
“to be able, have power”
Proto-Italic
PIE
*potis
“able, powerful, lord”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*poti-
“master, lord; one who has power”