What does irreproducible mean?
Irreproducible means impossible to reproduce or repeat exactly. The adjective is used especially in scientific, medical, and technical contexts to describe findings, measurements, reactions, or experiments that cannot be duplicated with the same results. Calling something irreproducible suggests that a result may have depended on chance, unusual conditions, errors in measurement, or factors that cannot currently be controlled. It is more specific than describing something as merely variable: an irreproducible result cannot be recreated exactly, not simply that it varies somewhat between attempts. The word may also be used more broadly for events or situations that cannot be repeated faithfully, although this usage is less common. Its form combines the negative prefix irre- with reproducible, making its meaning readily understandable in formal English.
adjectiveNot possible to reproduce or repeat exactly. It may describe a result, event, condition, or process that cannot be duplicated with complete fidelity.
- Impossible to reproduce or repeat exactly.
"The experiment produced an irreproducible result, so the researchers repeated it with a larger sample."
"The signal was too faint to yield irreproducible measurements."
"Some rare reactions remained irreproducible even when independent laboratories repeated the procedure."
An irreproducible result cannot be recreated exactly, making it a warning sign that a finding may depend on chance or conditions that have changed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does irreproducible come from?
Irreproducible was formed by adding the negative prefix irre- to reproducible. Reproducible ultimately comes from Latin reducere, meaning “to lead back,” combined with producere, meaning “to bring forth” or “to produce,” and was adopted into English in the early 19th century. The negative form developed alongside the increasing use of reproducible in scientific description, especially during the 20th century.
Related word forms
How irreproducible is actually used
The word is formal and technical, especially common in scientific and academic writing. It is more precise than simply “unrepeatable” because it emphasizes the impossibility of duplicating a process or result exactly.