impeccable
adjective
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The word impeccable has been used in English since the 16th century. It comes from the Latin word impeccabilis, a combination of the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not," and the verb peccare, meaning "to sin." Its original meaning hewed close to its root: impeccable meant "not capable of sinning or liable to sin." (It has a rare but pleasingly logical antonym in peccable, meaning "liable or prone to sin.") Peccare has other descendants in English: there is the noun peccadillo, ("a slight offense"), adjective peccant ("guilty of a moral offense" or simply "faulty"), and the noun peccavi, which in Latin literally means "I have sinned" but in English refers to an acknowledgment of sin. Nowadays, impeccable is more commonly used in the secular sense to mean "flawless," as in "impeccable taste in music" or "their craftsmanship is impeccable."
Examples of impeccable in a Sentence
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
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
One of the nicest PR executives to deal with, Pietranton was known for his impeccable work ethic and staying cool under pressure.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2025
Much of that is owed to the still-impeccable score from EGOT-winning theater lyricist Tim Rice and songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA fame).
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Nov. 2025
Well, the team has a track record of designing impeccable collaborations with some of the world’s biggest fashion houses and this winter’s Olympic Games are being held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, right in the team’s backyard.
—Will Porter, Outside, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impeccable
Cite this Entry
“Impeccable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impeccable. Accessed 23 Nov. 2025.
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