Illegible
/ɪˈlɛdʒəbəl/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Illegible describes writing or text that cannot be read easily or at all because the letters are unclear, messy, or faded. It often happens when handwriting is bad or the print is damaged.
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See It in Action
Writing or text that cannot be read because it is unclear
- •The signature was illegible, so the bank asked for ID.
- •His handwriting was so illegible that I couldn't understand the note.
- •The old book had illegible pages because of water damage.
Difficult to read printed or typed text due to poor quality
- •The photocopy was illegible and needed to be redone.
- •The faded label was illegible after years in the sun.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "illegible" like "hard to read," but stronger—it's almost impossible to understand the letters or words.
- ✓Picture a note written with a broken pen, where the letters look like scribbles or are smudged.
- ✓It's the feeling of frustration when you try to read a message but the words look like a puzzle.
- ✓Sounds like "ill-LEDGE-uh-bull" → Imagine a small "ill" (sick) ledge where letters fall off and disappear, making reading difficult.
- ✓Remember trying to read a doctor's handwriting on a prescription—often very hard or illegible.
- ✓NOT like "unclear" (which can be partly understood), "illegible" means you really cannot read it at all.
- ✓NOT like "messy" (which might be untidy but still readable), illegible means the text loses meaning because letters are not recognizable.
Try Other Words
- •Unreadable: cannot be read (Use for general situations when something cannot be read, including handwriting, print, or digital text)
- •Unclear: not easy to understand (Use when the meaning or appearance is confusing but still somewhat readable)
- •Messy: untidy or badly written (Use when handwriting looks bad but can still be read)
- •Faded: colors or letters become lighter and hard to see (Use when text is hard to read because it has lost color or ink)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "il-" means "not" or "without"
- •Root: "legible" means "able to be read"
- •Etymology: From Latin "legibilis" (readable), with "il-" added to show negation
- •Historical development: The word "illegible" has been used since the 1600s to describe writing that cannot be read
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe handwriting, printed text, or any writing that is hard to read
Reflect & Connect
•What makes handwriting illegible, and how can people improve their writing to avoid this?
•Can something be illegible but still hold important information? How would you handle that situation?
Fill in the blanks
1.The doctor's handwriting was illegible, so the pharmacist had to ___ the prescription carefully.
2.When a signature is illegible, it often causes ___ during official documents.
3.Illegible writing usually makes readers feel ___ or confused.
4.Unlike messy writing, illegible text is ___ to understand at all.
5.Sometimes, people say "___ handwriting" to mean writing that is very hard to read.
6.The old letter was illegible because the ink had ___ over time.
7.If a message is illegible, the receiver might ask for a ___ version to understand it better.