incomparable
English
Etymology
From Middle English incomparable, from Middle French incomparable, from Old French [Term?], from Latin incomparābilis. Equivalent to in- + comparable.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪŋˈkɒmp(ə)rəbəl/, /ɪŋkəmˈpærəbəl/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ɪŋˈkɑmp(ə)rəbəl/, /ɪŋkəmˈpɛrəbəl/
Adjective
incomparable (comparative more incomparable, superlative most incomparable)
- So much better than another as to be beyond comparison; matchless or unsurpassed.
- c. 1905, Oscar Wilde, De Profundis, (1909), Robert Baldwin Ross, ed., page 112:
- I know of nothing in all drama more incomparable from the point of view of art, nothing more suggestive in its subtlety of observation, than Shakespeare's drawing of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
- c. 1905, Oscar Wilde, De Profundis, (1909), Robert Baldwin Ross, ed., page 112:
- (rare) Not able to be compared.
Usage notes
- Using more or most with incomparable, though often disapproved, is relatively common. Such uses may once have only been accepted for poetic effect, but are now widespread.
- Despite its apparently absolute meaning, incomparable is often used as if there were degrees of incomparability, occurring with adverbs such as so and very.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
beyond comparison
|
not able to be compared — see uncomparable
Noun
incomparable (plural incomparables)
- Something beyond compare; a thing with which there is no comparison.
Further reading
- incomparable at OneLook Dictionary Search
- “incomparable”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
- “incomparable”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
- “incomparable”, in Collins English Dictionary.
- incomparable, uncomparable, noncomparable at Google Ngram Viewer
Catalan
Etymology
From Latin incomparābilis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
incomparable (masculine and feminine plural incomparables)
- uncomparable, incomparable
- Antonym: comparable
Derived terms
Further reading
- “incomparable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “incomparable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “incomparable” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “incomparable” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
French
Etymology
From Latin incomparābilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃.kɔ̃.pa.ʁabl/
Derived terms
Further reading
- “incomparable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Occitan
Etymology
From Latin incomparābilis.
Adjective
incomparable m (feminine singular incomparabla, masculine plural incomparables, feminine plural incomparablas)
- uncomparable, incomparable
- Antonym: comparable
Further reading
- Joan de Cantalausa (2006) Diccionari general occitan a partir dels parlars lengadocians, 2 edition, →ISBN, page 560.
- Diccionari General de la Lenga Occitana, L’Academia occitana – Consistòri del Gai Saber, 2008-2016, page 338.
Spanish
Etymology
From Latin incomparābilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /inkompaˈɾable/ [ĩŋ.kõm.paˈɾa.β̞le]
- Rhymes: -able
- Syllabification: in‧com‧pa‧ra‧ble
Derived terms
Further reading
- “incomparable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
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