LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
English → Latin

“impossible” in Latin

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

impossible
impossibilis (Silver Age; only in a philosophical sense). But in usual language, circumlocution by quod fieri or effici non potest. I think nothing is impossible to you, nihil tibi infectum credo: nothing is impossible to anything, nihil est, quod aliquid (e.g., benevolentia) efficere non possit: I consider this impossible, non puto hoc fieri posse: this is impossible to me, hoc facere or efficere non possum: it is mpossible that, etc. fieri non potest, ut, etc.; nequeo (with following infinitive): it is impossible for a king to live as a private man, nescit rex vivere privatus: I fear this is impossible, vereor, ne non liceat: it is impossible for me to believe this, hoc nullo pacto credere possum: it is impossible for me to believe that, etc., non possum adduci, ut putem, etc.: this makes it impossible for me to believe, hoc credere prohibet, etc.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for impossible?
The usual Latin words for “impossible” are impossibilis, benevolentia. 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.