adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 N R IY1 D AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AH1 N R IY1 D AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Not written clearly enough to be deciphered.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
unreadable handwriting
unreadable charts
a machine that cut up secret documents into small unreadable fragments
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: illegible, indecipherable, unclear
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Making an unpleasant reading experience, e.g. because it is dull or upsetting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
an unreadable book
unreadable rants
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Not able to be accessed or played by some technical device.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The scratched CD is unreadable.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
not easily deciphered
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
indecipherable handwriting
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: indecipherable, unclear, undecipherable
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English read Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dhlom Proto-Indo-European *-dhlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English readable English unreadable From un- + readable.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
неразбираем
(nerazbiraem)
— that cannot be deciphered
Bulgarian:
нечетлив
(nečetliv)
— that cannot be deciphered
Dutch:
onleesbaar
— that cannot be deciphered
Dutch:
onleesbare
— that cannot be deciphered
Finnish:
lukukelvoton
— that cannot be deciphered
Finnish:
mahdoton lukea
— that cannot be deciphered
French:
illisible
— that cannot be deciphered
German:
unleserlich
— that cannot be deciphered
German:
unlesbar
— that cannot be deciphered
Greek:
δυσανάγνωστος
(dysanágnostos)
— that cannot be deciphered
Hungarian:
olvashatatlan
— that cannot be deciphered
Hungarian:
kivehetetlen
— that cannot be deciphered
Italian:
illeggibile
— that cannot be deciphered
Persian:
لایقرء
(lâ-yoqra')
— that cannot be deciphered
Polish:
nieczytelny
— that cannot be deciphered
Russian:
неприго́дный для чте́ния
(neprigódnyj dlja čténija)
— that cannot be deciphered
Russian:
нечита́бельный
(nečitábelʹnyj)
— that cannot be deciphered
Spanish:
ilegible
— that cannot be deciphered
Swedish:
oläslig
— that cannot be deciphered
Swedish:
oläsbar
— that cannot be deciphered
Bulgarian:
безинтересен
(bezinteresen)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Chinese Mandarin:
不好讀 /不好读
(bùhǎodú)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Chinese Mandarin:
不易讀 /不易读
(bùyìdú)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
French:
illisible
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Greek:
δυσκολοδιάβαστος
(dyskolodiávastos)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Hungarian:
unalmas
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Hungarian:
érdektelen
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Hungarian:
nem olvasmányos
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Italian:
illeggibile
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Russian:
нечита́бельный
(nečitábelʹnyj)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Russian:
неприго́дный для чте́ния
(neprigódnyj dlja čténija)
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Swedish:
oläsbar
— making an unpleasant reading experience
Swedish:
oläslig
— making an unpleasant reading experience