Unmixable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not able to be combined into a uniform mixture due to distinct properties
2. Lacking the capacity to be blended or integrated into a cohesive whole
3. Unable to be combined into a smooth or homogeneous substance because the components resist unification

Etymology: "Unmixable" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", joined to "mixable", "capable of being mixed". The prefix is native English, inherited from Old English "un-" and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root for negation, so it has been attached to adjectives since the earliest stages of the language. The root of the second part is more elaborate. "Mixable" is built from the verb "mix" plus the suffix "-able", which reached English through Old French "-able" from Latin "-ābilis", a suffix meaning "able to be" or "fit for". Because "un-" can be added to almost any adjective of this kind, the word is a transparent compound rather than a term with a dramatic history. Its meaning follows directly from its parts: something that cannot be combined or stirred into something else in a uniform way. Chemists, cooks and writers use it to describe substances, such as oil and water, that resist blending.

Synonyms: inseparable, immiscible

Antonyms: mixable, blendable