Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

incommensurable

/ɪn.kəˈmɛnt͡ʃ.ɹə.bəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.58 in modern English

Syllables: in-com-men-su-rable
IPA: /ɪn.kəˈmɛnt͡ʃ.ɹə.bəl/

23

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

5

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

having a ratio that is not expressible as a fraction of two integers.

adj

having no common integer divisor except 1.

adj

Not able to be measured by the same standards as another term in the context.

noun

An incommensurable value or quantity; an irrational number.

Example Sentences

"The side and diagonal of a square are incommensurable with each other; the diameter and circumference of a circle are incommensurable."
"Unfortunately for Pythagoras, his theorem led at once to the discovery of incommensurables, which appeared to disprove his whole philosophy."

Etymology

From Middle French incommensurable, from Medieval Latin incommensurabilis. Its full etymology is equivalent to that of in- + commensurable.

Origin

Source language: Middle French

Word Breakdown

Root: incommensurable, incommensurabilis

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɪn.kəˈmɛnt͡ʃ.ɹə.bəl/
British English: /ɪnkəˈmɛnʃ(ə)ɹəbəl/

Inflected Forms

more incommensurable (comparative) most incommensurable (superlative) incommensurables (plural)

Derived Forms

incommensurability incommensurableness incommensurably

Phrases

relatively prime

Frequently Paired Words

coprime incommensurate relatively prime

Questions

How do you pronounce incommensurable?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪn.kəˈmɛnt͡ʃ.ɹə.bəl/.
What does incommensurable mean?: having a ratio that is not expressible as a fraction of two integers.
Where does incommensurable come from?: It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce incommensurable

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “incommensurable”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪn.kəˈmɛnt͡ʃ.ɹə.bəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “incommensurable”.
Repeat and practice — Say “incommensurable” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.