impossible

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Pronunciation 1.4 Adjective 1.4.1 Antonyms 1.4.2 Derived terms 1.4.3 Translations 1.5 Noun 1.5.1 Translations 2 French 2.1 Pronunciation 2.2 Adjective

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• inpossible (obsolete)

[edit] Etymology

From French impossible, from Latin impossibilis, from in- ‘not’ + possibilis ‘possible’, from possum ‘to be able’ + suffix -ibilis ‘-able’.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ɪmˈpɒsəbl/
• (GenAm) IPA: /ɪmˈpɑsəbl/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Hyphenation: im‧pos‧si‧ble

[edit] Adjective

impossible (comparative more impossible, superlative most impossible)

1. Not possible, not able to be done

   Nothing is impossible, only impassible. --Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

2. (colloquial) Of a person, very difficult to deal with.

   You never listen to a word I say - you're impossible!

[edit] Antonyms

• possible

[edit] Derived terms

• impossibility
• impossibly

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

impossible (plural impossibles)

1. An impossibility.
   • Late C14: “Madame,” quod he, “this were an impossible!” — Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Franklin's Tale’, Canterbury Tales
2. (uncountable) (with definite article) That which seems impossible.

   If we work together, we can achieve the impossible!

[edit] Translations

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[edit] French

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio^{help, file}
• IPA: /ɛ̃.pɔ.sibl/

[edit] Adjective

impossible m. (f. impossible, m. plural impossibles, f. plural impossibles)

1. impossible