What does inadmissibly mean?
Inadmissibly is an adverb meaning “in a way that cannot be admitted or accepted.” Its most familiar use is in law, where a judge or court may describe evidence as inadmissibly obtained or inadmissibly presented. More broadly, it describes material or conduct that is so objectionable, irrelevant, or contrary to required conditions that it cannot properly be accepted. The word is formal and usually implies that an established rule or procedure has been violated. It is more forceful than simply saying that something is unacceptable, because it specifically points to failure of admissibility. The term is often used in legal argument, especially concerning evidence, testimony, and documents. It can also be used metaphorically or in administrative contexts when a proposal or submission fails basic standards for consideration.
adverbIn a way that is not admissible, especially in law or in a formal proceeding. It can also mean too objectionable, irrelevant, or unsuitable to be accepted.
- Not legally or formally allowed to be admitted, especially as evidence or in a proceeding.
- Too objectionable, irrelevant, or unsuitable to be accepted.
"The judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissibly obtained and excluded it from the trial."
"The defense argued that the recordings were inadmissibly obtained without a warrant."
"The proposal was rejected as inadmissibly vague and impossible to implement fairly."
In courtrooms, inadmissibly can bring an entire line of evidence to a halt: the issue is not simply whether it is relevant, but whether the law allows it to be heard.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inadmissibly come from?
The word is formed from the prefix in-, meaning “not,” and admissible, which comes from Latin admittere, “to allow to enter,” from ad- “to” and mittere “to send.” The Latin sense developed into the English idea of allowing something to enter a place, a proceeding, or accepted evidence. Inadmissibly is the adverbial form of inadmissible and has been used in legal English since the modern period.
Related word forms
How inadmissibly is actually used
Most common in legal and formal contexts. It is more precise than saying that something was simply unacceptable, because it specifically indicates a failure to meet the requirements for admission or acceptance.
Easily confused with inadmissibly
Admissible means acceptable or allowed to be considered or entered as evidence, whereas inadmissibly describes conduct or material that cannot be admitted.