Main Entry: ¹in·ar·tic·u·late

Pronunciation: \-kyə-lət\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Late Latin inarticulatus, from Latin in- + articulatus, past participle of articulare to utter distinctly — more at articulate

Date: 1603

1 a of a sound : uttered or formed without the definite articulations of intelligible speech b (1) : incapable of speech especially under stress of emotion : mute (2) : incapable of being expressed by speech <inarticulate fear> (3) : not voiced or expressed : unspoken <society functions on many inarticulate premises>
2 : incapable of giving coherent, clear, or effective expression to one's ideas or feelings
3 [New Latin inarticulatus, from Latin in- + New Latin articulatus articulate] : relating to, characteristic of, or being an inarticulate or its shell

— in·ar·tic·u·late·ly adverb

— in·ar·tic·u·late·ness noun