Also found in: Thesaurus.


1. Impossible to be transmitted; not communicable: an incommunicable disease.
2. Incommunicative: an executive who was maddeningly incommunicable.

in′com·mu′ni·ca·bil′i·ty n.
in′com·mu′ni·ca·bly adv.


1. incapable of being communicated
2. an obsolete word for incommunicative
ˌincomˌmunicaˈbility, ˌincomˈmunicableness n
ˌincomˈmunicably adv


(ˌɪn kəˈmyu nɪ kə bəl)

1. incapable of being communicated or imparted: an incommunicable secret.
2. uncommunicative; taciturn.
[1560–70; < Late Latin]
in`com•mu`ni•ca•bil′i•ty, in`com•mu′ni•ca•ble•ness, n.
in`com•mu′ni•ca•bly, adv.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:


2. That cannot be described:
Idioms: beyond description, defying description.
References in classic literature ?
There was a nameless and incommunicable fear that rested upon all.
And how nobly it raises our conceit of the mighty, misty monster, to behold him solemnly sailing through a calm tropical sea; his vast, mild head overhung by a canopy of vapor, engendered by his incommunicable contemplations, and that vapor --as you will sometimes see it --glorified by a rainbow, as if Heaven itself had put its seal upon his thoughts.
Michael, his forefeet on the gunwale, barked to him in a puzzled, questioning sort of way, and Jerry whimpered back incommunicable understanding.
And it would seem to Michael that on one side, clinging to him, Cocky talked farrago in his ear, and on the other side Sara clung to him and chattered an interminable and incommunicable tale.
Even if there be no true knowledge, as is proved by 'the wretched state of education,' there may be right opinion, which is a sort of guessing or divination resting on no knowledge of causes, and incommunicable to others.
She sighed, teased by desires so incoherent, so incommunicable.
There was now in the breast of Reuben Bourne an incommunicable thought--something which he was to conceal most heedfully from her whom he most loved and trusted.
The Sphinx is not so incommunicable. He is a mask with a manner.