How Do You Spell ILLEGIBLE?

Pronunciation: [ɪlˈɛd͡ʒəbə͡l] (IPA)

"Illegible" refers to something that is difficult or impossible to read due to poor handwriting or print quality. The spelling of this word is "ih-LEJ-uh-buhl" in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable starts with the "ih" vowel sound, followed by the consonant "l" and "leg" sound. The second syllable has the "uh" schwa sound, "b" and "uhl" sound. The emphasis or stress is on the second syllable, making it "il-LEJ-uh-buhl."

ILLEGIBLE Meaning and Definition

1. Illegible is an adjective that describes something that is difficult or impossible to read or decipher due to poor handwriting, obscure characters, or other factors that hinder comprehension. When something is illegible, it is not clear or readable enough to be easily understood or interpreted.

   This term commonly refers to written or printed text that is undecipherable due to its illegible font style, smudged or faded ink, or messy handwriting. Illegible handwriting is often characterized by letterforms that are poorly formed, cramped, or so intricately connected that they appear as a continuous script without distinct shapes. This can cause significant challenges for others trying to read or understand the message.

   Illegibility can also be influenced by the condition of the material in which the text is presented. For example, old documents that have deteriorated or faded over time may become illegible as a result. Similarly, poorly printed or low-resolution texts may also be considered illegible.

   Whether due to individual variations in writing styles or external factors that affect legibility, illegible text can be frustrating and time-consuming to decipher, as it requires additional effort and concentration. When encountering illegible text, people often resort to guessing or seeking assistance from others to make sense of the content.

   In summary, illegible refers to text or written material that is difficult or impossible to read or comprehend due to factors such as poor handwriting, unclear fonts, smudged ink, or other impairments that hinder clear visibility or intelligibility.

2. That cannot be read.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for ILLEGIBLE *

• illegile 10%
• illegable 10%
• unlegible 5%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for ILLEGIBLE

• liegible
• illegale
• elegible
• unillegible
• illedgible
• inligible
• eliegible
• ilegable
• Illebile
• illevable
• illigable
• illejible
• illejable
• Illible
• illegitable
• illegitee

Etymology of ILLEGIBLE

The word "illegible" originated from the Latin term "illegibilis", which is a combination of two Latin words: "in" meaning "not" and "legere" meaning "to read". Thus, "illegibilis" literally translates to "not able to be read". This Latin word later evolved into "illegible" in Early Modern English, maintaining the same meaning.

Similar spelling words for ILLEGIBLE

• illegibly,
• Illegibility.