impossible

== English == === Alternative forms === inpossible (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English impossible, equivalent to im- +‎ possible. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɒs.ɪ.bəl/, [ɪmˈpɒs.ɪ.bl̩], /ɪmˈpɒs.ə.bəl/, [ɪmˈpɒs.ə.bl̩] (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɑ.sə.bəl/, [ɪmˈpɑ.sə.bl̩] (General Australian) IPA(key): /ɪmˈpɔs.ɪ.bəl/, [ɪmˈpɔs.ɪ.bl̩] Hyphenation: im‧pos‧si‧ble === Adjective === impossible (not generally comparable, comparative more impossible, superlative most impossible) Not possible; not able to be done or happen. 13 March 1962, John F. Kennedy, speech at the White House Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. (colloquial) Very difficult to deal with. (mathematics, dated) imaginary ==== Synonyms ==== unfeasible nonpossible (nonstandard) unhappenable (rare) unpossible (rare) ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “not able to be done or happen”): possible, inevitable ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === impossible (plural impossibles) An impossibility. A skateboard trick consisting of a backflip performed in midair. ==== Translations ==== == Catalan == === Etymology === Inherited or borrowed from Latin impossibilis. By surface analysis, im- +‎ possible. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central, Balearic) [im.puˈsib.blə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [im.poˈsi.ble] === Adjective === impossible m or f (masculine and feminine plural impossibles) impossible Antonym: possible ==== Derived terms ==== impossiblement ==== Related terms ==== impossibilitat === Further reading === “impossible”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “impossible”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “impossible” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. “impossible” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962. == French == === Etymology === From im- +‎ possible. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pɔ.sibl/ === Adjective === impossible (plural impossibles) impossible Il est impossible que Dieu mente. ― It is impossible for God to lie. unbearable Synonym: insupportable Cet enfant est impossible ! ― This kid is unbearable! ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === impossible m (uncountable) the impossible promettre l'impossible ― to promise the earth demander l'impossible ― to ask the impossible faire l'impossible ― to do the impossible à l'impossible nul n'est tenu ― nobody can be expected to achieve the impossible === Further reading === “impossible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Middle English == === Alternative forms === inpossible, impossybel === Etymology === From Old French impossible, from Latin impossibilis, from in- (“not”) + possibilis (“possible”). === Adjective === impossible Impossible: not able to be done. Incapable (of doing something) === Noun === impossible (plural impossibles) An act which cannot be accomplished. A logical impossibility: a thing which cannot exist, or is a logical self-contradiction == Middle French == === Adjective === impossible m or f (plural impossibles) impossible