inhabitable

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

inhabit + -able.

Adjective

inhabitable (comparative more inhabitable, superlative most inhabitable)

  1. Fit to live in; habitable.
    • a. 1704, John Locke, “Elements of Natural Philosophy”, in A Collection of Several Pieces of Mr. John Locke, London: J. Bettenham for R. Francklin, published 1710, pages 190–191:
      It is more ſuitable to the wiſdom, power and greatneſs of God, to think that the fixt Stars are all of them Suns, with Syſtems of inhabitable Planets moving about them, to whoſe Inhabitants he diſplays the marks of his Goodneſs as well as to us []
Usage notes

While the usage is obsolete, inhabitable can also be an antonym of habitable and have the opposite meaning to that intended. Where such confusion might arise, one may prefer to use habitable or another synonym. Compare inflammable.

Antonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle French inhabitable, from Latin inhabitabilis (uninhabitable).

Adjective

inhabitable (comparative more inhabitable, superlative most inhabitable)

  1. (obsolete) Not habitable; not suitable to be inhabited.
Usage notes

Inhabitable can also be an antonym of uninhabitable and have the opposite meaning to that intended. Where such confusion might arise, one may prefer to use uninhabitable or another synonym. Compare uninteresting. Fortunately, this opposite meaning is obsolete and the sense of "suitable for life" is far more prevalent today.

French

Etymology

From Middle French inhabitable, from Latin inhabitābilis (uninhabitable), as if in- + habitable.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /i.na.bi.tabl/
  • Rhymes: -abl
  • Homophone: inhabitables

Adjective

inhabitable (plural inhabitables)

  1. uninhabitable

Further reading

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /inabiˈtable/ [i.na.β̞iˈt̪a.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: in‧ha‧bi‧ta‧ble

Adjective

inhabitable m or f (masculine and feminine plural inhabitables)

  1. uninhabitable
    Antonym: habitable

Further reading

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