unobtainableadj.
/(ˌ)ʌnəbˈteɪnəbl/, U.S. /ˌənəbˈteɪnəb(ə)l/ Not obtainable.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > acquisition > [adjective] > unobtainable
ungettable1554
unprocurable1607
unpurchasable1611
unacquirable1640
unobtainable1653
inobtainablea1718
society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [adjective] > unobtainable number
unobtainable1653
1653 T. Urquhart Logopandecteision vi. 47 If any happen to imagine, this my suit to be the more unobtainable.
1771 Anecd. of Convent III. 187 Without his approbation, you ought to be certain, mine must be unobtainable.
1860 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) V. 129 Her own consent would have been unobtainable.
1876 ‘Ouida’ In Winter City vii Seeking some unobtainable enamel.
1919 A. Ransome Russia in 1919 186 Books that were out of print and unobtainable..have been reprinted.
1961 E. Waugh Unconditional Surrender ii. iv. 96 When they tried to ring him up they were told the number was ‘unobtainable’.
2005 Isis 96 117/2 Accurate data on the age structure of populations..were frustratingly unobtainable.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
adj.1653