Word of the Day

: July 19, 2007

indomitable

adjective in-DAH-muh-tuh-bul

What It Means

: incapable of being subdued : unconquerable

indomitable in Context

Molly has always admired the indomitable spirit of her great-grandparents, who endured many hardships when they emigrated from Ireland.

Did You Know?

The prefix "in-" means "not" in numerous English words (think of "indecent," "indecisive," "inconvenient," and "infallible"). When "in-" teamed up with the Latin "domitare" ("to tame"), the result was a word meaning "unable to be tamed." "Indomitable" was first used in English in the 1600s as a synonym of "wild," but over time its sense of untamability turned from a problem to a virtue. By the 1800s, "indomitable" was being used for people whose courage and persistence helped them to succeed in difficult situations.