impeccable

adjective

im·​pec·​ca·​ble (ˌ)im-ˈpe-kə-bəl How to pronounce impeccable (audio)
1
: free from fault or blame : flawless
spoke impeccable French
2
: not capable of sinning or liable to sin
impeccability noun
impeccably adverb

Did you know?

The word impeccable has been used in English since the 16th century. It derives from the Latin word impeccabilis, a combination of the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not," and the verb peccare, meaning "to sin." Peccare has other descendants in English. There is peccadillo, meaning "a slight offense," and peccant, meaning "guilty of a moral offense" or simply "faulty." There is also peccavi, which comes from Latin, where it literally means "I have sinned"; in English the word functions as a noun meaning "an acknowledgment of sin."

Examples of impeccable in a Sentence

Grandfather found a reason to slip in every five minutes. The empty soda cans had to be removed, the bowl of potato chips refreshed. He was sure that he moved unnoticed, like an impeccable waiter of the old school … Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
His English was impeccable but halting, like a well-tooled but slightly rusted machine. John Updike, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 1987
In order to ensure that at least one verifiable Spaniard participate in this critical venture, Mendoza asked Bishop Zumárraga to nominate as second-in-command a younger friar with impeccable credentials, and the cleric selected a Fransiscan in whom he had great faith … James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
She has impeccable taste in music. the etiquette expert was celebrated for her absolutely impeccable manners
Recent Examples on the Web White tablecloths and napkins, impeccable service but not stuffy atmosphere. — Ann C. Details: 6327 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-264-1784, christosristorante.com. Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 Though, Scorsese is a notorious menswear fan with impeccable taste in tailoring who is being feted by Giorgio Armani the night before the awards ceremony. Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 At Disney, the aesthetics and engineering both have to be impeccable. Marah Eakin, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2024 And given the sudden influx of household names into Saudi club sides over the last year, the timing is impeccable, too. Rory Smith, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The film casts a wide net over their experiences, and every leading performance is as impeccable as the last. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 The details on this suit are impeccable with silver panels as armor and clear panels revealing skin at the breast, torso, arms, and legs. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 16 Feb. 2024 The craftsmanship of these items are next level, and kudos to the hair team, the braided horns were impeccable. Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The First Cask series was released in the heyday of independent bottlings, with casks sourced by the impeccable pallets of Signatory Vintage, and yet they are almost uniformly overlooked by collectors. Mark Littler, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impeccable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin impeccabilis, from in- + peccare to sin

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of impeccable was in 1531

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Dictionary Entries Near impeccable

Cite this Entry

“Impeccable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impeccable. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

impeccable

adjective
im·​pec·​ca·​ble (ˈ)im-ˈpek-ə-bəl How to pronounce impeccable (audio)
: free from fault or blame
impeccability noun
impeccably adverb

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