Indelible
/ɪnˈdɛləbəl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Indelible means something that stays forever and cannot be taken away or cleaned off. It is often used to talk about marks that do not wash out or memories that you cannot forget. For example, an indelible ink mark stays on paper no matter how much you try to erase it.
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See It in Action
Impossible to remove or erase (physical marks)
- •The ink left an indelible stain on the shirt.
- •The artist used indelible paint to create the mural.
- •She wrote her name with an indelible marker.
Impossible to forget or erase from memory (mental or emotional)
- •The experience left an indelible impression on his mind.
- •That day at the beach made an indelible memory for the children.
- •The speech made an indelible impact on the audience.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "indelible" like "permanent" (a B1 word), but focusing on the idea that it cannot be erased or forgotten at all
- ✓Picture a black marker writing on white paper that no water or eraser can remove
- ✓It's the feeling you have when you remember a very important or emotional event that stays in your mind forever
- ✓Sounds like "in-DELL-uh-bull" → imagine a small "dell" (a little valley) that stays in the ground forever without filling up
- ✓Think of a tattoo, which is a permanent mark on the skin and cannot be easily removed
- ✓NOT like "temporary" (something that lasts only a short time) — indelible means lasting forever or for a very long time
- ✓NOT like "erasable" (can be removed) — indelible means it cannot be erased or cleaned off
- ✓NOT like "forgettable" — indelible memories stay in your mind clearly and forever
Try Other Words
- •Permanent: lasting a long time or forever (Use when the focus is on duration rather than the inability to erase)
- •Unforgettable: impossible to forget (Use when talking about memories or feelings)
- •Lasting: continuing for a long time (Use in general contexts about time or effects)
- •Etched: deeply fixed in memory or surface (Use for strong mental or physical impressions)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "in-" (meaning "not" or "cannot")
- •Root: "delible" from Latin "delere" meaning "to destroy" or "to erase"
- •Etymology: From Latin "indelibilis," meaning "not able to be destroyed or erased"
- •Historical development: The word has been used since the 1600s to describe marks or memories that cannot be removed
- •Modern usage: Used in writing, speech, and everyday language to describe permanent marks or unforgettable experiences
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be indelible in one person’s mind but not in another’s? Why or why not?
•How do indelible memories shape who we are as people?
Fill in the blanks
1.The indelible mark on the wall could not be ___ by any cleaning method.
2.She has an indelible memory of her first day at school because it was so ___.
3.Unlike regular ink, indelible ink is designed to ___ from paper or skin.
4.The indelible impression left by the teacher made the students ___ more interested in learning.
5.Tattoos are indelible because they are ___ into the skin.
6.When someone says something hurtful, the words can leave an indelible ___ on a person’s feelings.
7.The indelible stain on his shirt was caused by ___ paint.