1400-1500Medieval Latinindelibilis, from Latinindelebilis, from delere; ➔ DELETE
Examples
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
His death left an indelible impression on my life.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
All voters' hands will be dyed with indelible ink, and both the vote and the count will be conducted locally.
An indelible stamp, like the priesthood.
Its mark, however, remains indelible.
Now the sleaze looks more indelible and the Democrats will find it harder to avoid being defined by the Clinton excesses.
One of Warhol's most indelible images, of course, is his relentless repetition of Jacqueline Kennedy's face in blue.
Rituals often involved the daubing of men's private parts with indelible inks or waste paper and glue.
Such little things, snow in July, are indelible.
The next morning the only remnants are a few indelible plastic strings ironed into the pavement.
Collocations
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES►an indelible impression
formal (=lasting for ever)· Alan’s wartime experiences had left an indelible impression on him.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN►impression
· Getting out didn't make such an indelible impression as going in.· The spectacle before her, half obscured by the lashing spray, left an indelible impression.· It was what happened next that had made such an indelible impression upon Mr Charles.· I suppose things made such indelible impressions on us because we had so little.
►ink
· All voters' hands will be dyed with indelible ink, and both the vote and the count will be conducted locally.
►mark
· The impact of such a major reversal has left an indelible mark on Haslam's memory.· Raisins and walnuts form a symbiosis that makes an indelible mark on so many recipes.· For all her privilege and wealth, life had not been easy and the experiences of childhood had left an indelible mark.
Phrases
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY►indelible ink/pencil/marker etc
All voters' hands will be dyed with indelible ink, and both the vote and the count will be conducted locally.
1impossible to remove or forgetSYN permanent: Her words left an indelible impression on me for years to come.2indelible ink/pencil/marker etc ink etc that makes a permanent mark which cannot be removed—indelibly adverb: a moment indelibly imprinted on my mind