Unspeakable
/ʌnˈspiːkəbəl/noun
Too terrible, shocking, or extreme to be expressed in words.
Did you know?In English, the prefix un- plus speak gave this word a built-in sense of something beyond speech, and it often carries the eerie idea that some things are too awful, sacred, or taboo to name.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
unspecan
“to refrain from speaking; to not speak”
Old English
OE
sprecan
“to speak, talk”
Middle English
ME
unspekeable
“not able to be spoken; unutterable”
Late Middle English
ME
unspeakable
“too great, extreme, or dreadful to express in words”
Modern English
EN
unspeakable
“too shocking, horrible, or extreme to be expressed in words”