Word: illegible

Associations

Illegible means something that cannot be read or is difficult to read. It often refers to handwriting or printed text that is unclear.

• Example 1: "The doctor's handwriting was so illegible, I couldn't read the prescription." This shows that the writing was messy and hard to understand.
• Example 2: "The note was left in an illegible state after being soaked in water." Here, the water made the writing unclear and unreadable.
• Example 3: "The page from the old book was faded and illegible." This illustrates that the printing had worn away to a point where it couldn't be read.

The synonym "unreadable" is similar but can also imply that text is not simply hard to read but completely impossible to interpret, while "illegible" often implies it was once clear but has become difficult to read.

Substitution

Instead of "illegible," you could use:

• "unreadable," which means it cannot be read at all.
• "incomprehensible," emphasizing that it’s not just difficult to read but also hard to understand.
• "faint," which suggests that something is barely visible, but might still have some readability.

Deconstruction

The word "illegible" is made up of:

• The prefix "il-" meaning 'not.'
• The root "legible," which comes from the Latin word "legere," meaning 'to read.' This means 'not able to be read.' This term has been used since the 19th century, highlighting the importance of clear writing.

Inquiry

• In what situations do you find yourself dealing with illegible writing?
• Have you ever had to guess what something said because it was illegible? What happened?
• How important do you think legible handwriting is in your daily life or work?