inimitable - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English
Adjective
inimitable (comparative more inimitable, superlative most inimitable)
- Beyond imitation, surpassing all others; matchless.
- ✤ Antonyms: imitable, commonplace
- ✤ Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-ſtroaks ſharp (Nummus aſper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well poliſh’d; the Contours neatly trimm’d, and exactly round and carefully preſerv’d; that the Extancy and Relievos correſpond with the Ingraving, and have not ſuffer’d in Percuſſion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Antiquity and Excellency to be diſcern’d in Antient Medals almoſt inimitable.1
- ✤ Sterling himself, though he had the most picturesque and inimitable vocabulary of vituperation, was highly squeamish about ordinary smut or profanity. He had indeed that nice-Nelliness which is often characteristic of the Don Juan type.2
- ✤ Let’s see you pay for your drink in your own inimitable fashion, huh? A song, Denton! How about it?3
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French inimitable, from Latin inimitabilis, corresponding to in- + imitable.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ɪnˈɪmɪtəbl̩/
- Audio (General American): 🔊
Printed 2026-09-04.
(echo:: @ ⌗)
Footnotes
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1697, J[ohn] Evelyn, “Instructions How to Collect, and Procure such Medals as are Antique, and Rare; and to Distinguish the True from the False, for the Prevention of Frauds and Impostures”, in Numismata. A Discourse of Medals, Antient and Modern. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke […], →OCLC, page 201: ↩
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1947, Miriam Allen deFord, “Laureate of Bohemia: George Sterlin”, in They Were San Franciscans, Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., page 306: ↩
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1959, “Mr. Denton on Doomsday” (1:34 from the start), in The Twilight Zone, season 1, episode 3, spoken by Dan Hotaling (Martin Landau): ↩