Unpossible

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describes something that cannot be done or cannot happen, used as a nonstandard and informal alternative to impossible
2. Refers to an outcome or task that cannot be achieved, a colloquial and nonstandard way of saying impossible
3. Characterizes a situation in which something simply cannot occur, a playful or dialectal variant of impossible

Etymology: "Unpossible" is a plain compound: the prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "possible," which comes from Latin "possibilis," from "posse," "to be able." Middle English speakers formed it by adding the negative prefix to the existing adjective, the same way they built many other negated forms. The word is best known today as a deliberate joke. It is commonly used as a playful or humorous way of saying "impossible," and its informal, cheerful tone is part of its appeal. The base word "possible" was already well established in English by the time this form appeared, so the coinage needed no new vocabulary, only the familiar prefix.

Synonyms: impossible

Antonyms: possible