inalienable
in-AY-lee-uh-nuh-buhl
/ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/
Unable to be taken away, surrendered, or transferred to another person.
Describes fundamental human rights that belong inherently to individuals by virtue of their humanity.
The story behind the word. From medieval Latin legal terms. To 'alienate' property meant to hand it over to another owner ('alienus' = belonging to another). Adding 'in-' made it non-transferable.
Word relationships
- inviolable: Inviolable means never to be broken or dishonored; inalienable means incapable of being transferred or taken away.
- absolute: Absolute implies complete and unrestricted, whereas inalienable specifically emphasizes non-transferability.
- alienable: Alienable property or rights can be transferred, sold, or surrendered to someone else.
- revocable: Revocable rights or privileges can be canceled or withdrawn by an authority.
Commonly confused with
- unalienable: Unalienable is an older spelling used famous in 18th-century documents; inalienable is the standard modern spelling.
Word family
- inalienably (adverb): In an inalienable manner.
- inalienability (noun): The quality of being inalienable.
Collocations
- inalienable rights
- inalienable freedom
- inalienable dignity
Example sentences
- "Human dignity is often treated as an inalienable quality, present in a person regardless of their circumstances." Declaration of Independence
- "Freedom of thought is an inalienable right that no oppressive government can legitimately remove." Human rights advocacy
Memory hook
IN (not) + ALIEN (foreign/transferable) = cannot be transferred away from you to anyone else. Cannot be alienated or taken away.
When not to use
Do not use for temporary privileges, contractual rights, or physical property that can be legally bought or sold.
Fun facts
- Thomas Jefferson used 'unalienable' in the Declaration of Independence draft, but early drafts and French translations alternated between inalienable and unalienable.
Related words
Explore more words
irrevocable, immutable, sacrosanct, incorruptible, indelible, usurp
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.