English → Latin
“impenetrable” in Latin
impenetrābilisimpenetrable; unconquerable, unyieldingimperviusimpassable; imperviousspissusthick, close, compact, dense, crowded; slow, tardy, late; hard, difficultblanditiaflattery, compliment; caress; charmcālīgōfog, mist, vapor; darkness, gloom; fog, darkness (inability to perceive mentally)tenebraedarkness, especially the darkness of night; shadow of death; prison, dungeon
The English word impenetrable itself goes back to Latin penetrō, through impenetrābilis.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
impenetrable
impenetrabilis (PROP., Liv., ; and IMPROP., blanditiis, Sen.): impervius (by anything, alicui rei post-Augustan; e.g., lapis ignibus, Tac.): spissus (thick; caligo, tenebrae): obstinatus adversus aliquid (impenetrable by motives, and by attacks, by which one’s constancy is assailed; adversus lacrimas muliebres, Liv.). Impenetrable woods, densissimae silvae (Caes.). Impenetrable darkness, densissimae tenebrae (for which Suet., Ner., 46, has artissimae tenebrae).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for impenetrable?
- The usual Latin words for “impenetrable” are impenetrābilis, impervius, spissus; also blanditia, cālīgō, tenebrae. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.