illegible — impossible to read or decipher due to poor handwriting, fading, or damage
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: impossible to read or decipher due to poor handwriting, fading, or damage
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪˈledʒəbl/
Example Sentences
- My professor's feedback on my essay was illegible, so I had to ask him to type it out.
- After the coffee spill, the love letter became completely illegible, ruining the romantic gesture.
- The ancient manuscript was so illegible that scholars needed special equipment to decode it.
illegible
ADJECTIVE[/ɪˈledʒəbl/]
impossible to read or decipher due to poor handwriting, fading, or damage
The doctor's handwriting on the prescription was completely illegible.
Illegible clues make incredible mysteries indelible!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'illegibilis', derived from the prefix 'il-' (not) combined with 'legibilis' (readable, from 'legere' meaning to read). The word entered English in the 16th century.
Breakdown
il- (not) + legible (able to be read, from Latin legere 'to read' + -ible 'capable of') = illegible (not capable of being read)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My professor's feedback on my essay was illegible, so I had to ask him to type it out.”
“After the coffee spill, the love letter became completely illegible, ruining the romantic gesture.”
“The ancient manuscript was so illegible that scholars needed special equipment to decode it.”
“His signature was so illegible that it looked like a chicken had walked across the paper.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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