unexpressiveadj.
/ˌʌnᵻkˈsprɛsɪv/, /ˌʌnɛkˈsprɛsɪv/, U.S. /ˌənᵻkˈsprɛsɪv/, /ˌənɛkˈsprɛsɪv/ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > inexpressibility > [adjective]
unsayinglyOE
wordlessa1200
unanemneda1225
unspeaking1340
untellablea1382
unenarrable1382
unspeakablea1400
ineffablec1450
inenarrablec1450
indicible1480
enarrable1482
inexplicable1502
inspeakable?1504
innominable1532
unoutspeakable1535
unexpressable1548
innarrable1554
inpronunciable1554
uncommunicable1555
inexprimablea1577
unexpressiblea1586
unutterablea1586
expressless1590
nameless1597
recountless1601
inutterable1603
indeclarable1610
unnameable1610
unreportable1611
speakless1612
unexpressivea1616
inexpressiblea1631
utterless1643
inexpressive1652
unwordablec1660
incommunicable1694
paintless1729
descriptionless1749
undelineable1767
describeless1799
indefinable1810
undescribable1818
unqualifiable1822
untelling1823
utterless1832
unpindownable1915
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > [adjective] > beyond description
undeclarablec1449
not to be spoken of1600
phraseless1609
termless1609
unexpressivea1616
unexprimable1632
wingy1643
unfanciable1669
indescribable1785
unpicturable?1819
unportrayable1852
superinenarrable1873
a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) iii. ii. 10 Run, run Orlando, carue on euery Tree, The faire, the chaste, and vnexpressiue shee. View more context for this quotation
1645 J. Milton On Christ's Nativity: Hymn xi, in Poems 6 Harping in loud and solemn quire, With unexpressive notes to Heav'ns new-born Heir.
1645 J. Milton Lycidas (rev. ed.) in Poems 82 So Lycidas..hears the unexpressive nuptiall Song, In the blest Kingdoms meek of joy and love.
2. = inexpressive adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > absence of meaning > [adjective]
emptya1225
sleevelessc1450
dumb1531
insensible1538
senseless1579
weetless1579
unsignificant1603
surd1605
matterless1612
unmeaning1632
non-significative1633
brute1642
shelly1648
insignificant1651
insignificative1660
unsignificative1664
unsignifying1665
unsensed1667
meaningless1728
bilka1734
meanless1734
inexpressive1744
unideal1751
unexpressive1755
idealess1793
unsuggestive1797
tenorless1821
themeless1840
nonsensible1851
inarticulate1855
purportless1865
expressionless1871
vacuous1872
contentless1886
unmeaningful1897
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > weakness or feebleness > [adjective] > vapid or insipid > inexpressive
inexpressive1744
unemphatic1800
unexpressive1851
1755 World V. No. 150. 81 If the device had been a triple~crown, it would not have been unexpressive.
1817 J. Bentham Chrestomathia Pt. II 109 In so far as it simply fails of being subservient to those purposes, it is unexpressive—simply unexpressive.
1851 W. R. Greg Creed of Christendom xv. 227 Exhausting superlatives, even to unexpressive and wearisome satiety.
Derivatives
unexˈpressively adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > inexpressibility > [adverb]
unsayinglyc1175
untellablyc1450
unspeakably1526
ineffably1551
inspeakablya1618
inexplicably1630
unexpressibly1635
unspeakable1635
inexpressibly1645
unutterably1746
undescribably1792
inexpressively1809
uncommunicablya1822
unexpressively1846
indefinably1847
1846 J. E. Worcester Universal Dict. Eng. Lang. Unexpressively.]
unexˈpressiveness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > absence of meaning > [noun]
insolidity1578
emptiness1579
insignificancy1651
no-meaning1672
insignificance1754
inexpression1796
inexpressiveness1815
vacuousness1816
unmeaningness1825
unmeaning1839
pointlessness1845
non-significance1846
meaninglessness1853
unsuggestiveness1858
unexpressiveness1885
nonsense1942
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > [noun] > lack of expression
unexpressiveness1885
1885 Athenæum 21 Mar. 369/2 She is distinguished from the other muses by the unexpressiveness of her name.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.a1616