Agency Dictionary
unsinkable
adjectivePronunciation: /ʌnˈsɪŋ.kə.bəl/
In Portuguese: inafundável
History & CivilizationsWhat does “unsinkable” mean?
Unable to be sunk. Said of a ship believed to be safe from going under and, figuratively, of anything thought impossible to defeat.
Etymology
From un- (prefix of negation) plus sink (from Old English sincan, 'to sink') plus -able. The word describes a vessel considered impossible to submerge, and by extension anything judged impossible to destroy or defeat.
Usage note
Unsinkable acquired cultural irony after the Titanic disaster; the word is now often used with wry awareness of that famous failure.
Word family
- sink
- sinkable
Rhymes with
- thinkable
- drinkable
- shrinkable
Usage examples
The Titanic was said to be an unsinkable ship.
Writing.1 - The Titanic Theory
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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Also from these editions: terms
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Also from these editions: concepts
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