Illaqueable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. The capability of trapping or ensnaring individuals or objects manifests in various circumstances
2. Able to be caught or trapped in a certain situation or device
3. Susceptible to becoming entangled or confined by means of capture

Etymology: "Illaqueable" is a rare adjective meaning able to be caught or trapped, and it is a plain English construction built from Latin parts. Its base is the Latin verb "illaqueare," meaning "to entrap" or "to ensnare," which combines "in-" (here meaning "into" or "upon") with "laqueus," the Latin word for a noose or snare. The English suffix "-able," from Latin "-abilis," turns the verb's sense into a description of what can be done to a thing, so an illaqueable creature is one that can be snared. The word belongs to the same family as "illaqueate," the older verb meaning to entangle or ensnare, and the two share the Latin root that also gave English the noose-related sense of "lace." Because both come straight from the Latin verb rather than through French, the word keeps the Latin stem visible in its spelling.