What does indelible mean?
Indelible is a formal adjective meaning that something cannot be removed, erased, or changed. It is commonly used for permanent marks, impressions, effects, and records: an indelible stain, an indelible impression, or an indelible record. The word suggests not only durability but also resistance to correction or alteration, so it can describe something that has become a lasting part of a person, place, or document. Although its meaning is broadly understandable, indelible is more characteristic of formal writing and careful description than of casual conversation. It is related to the Latin root delere, meaning “to destroy” or “erase,” and its opposite is delible, which means able to be deleted or erased. Knowing indelible is useful when discussing permanence in art, law, history, branding, memory, and everyday objects.
adjectiveIncapable of being removed, erased, or changed; permanent and unalterable. It is especially used for marks, impressions, records, or effects that cannot be removed.
- Incapable of being removed, erased, or altered.
- Permanent or unchangeable, especially of an impression, record, or effect.
"The stain left by the ink seemed to be indelible."
"The branding on the equipment appeared to be indelible."
"Her first performance left an indelible impression on the audience."
Some marks may fade, but an indelible impression is the one that refuses to disappear.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indelible come from?
Indelible comes from the Latin indelibilis, formed from the prefix in-, meaning “not,” and delere, meaning “to destroy, erase, or remove.” English borrowed the word in the 16th century with the sense of “not erasable” or “not removable.” Related English forms include delete, deletion, and delible, all reflecting the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How indelible is actually used
The word is formal and literary. It is more common in figurative descriptions of impressions, memories, records, and marks than in everyday speech.
Easily confused with indelible
Delible means capable of being deleted or erased, whereas indelible means impossible to remove or erase.