Unshareable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Unable to be shared with others due to restrictive conditions or nature
2. Incapable of being distributed or used jointly by multiple people
3. Not possible to divide or give to others for mutual use or enjoyment

Etymology: "Unshareable" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "shareable," which itself is "share" with the suffix "-able," meaning "capable of being." Put together, the word describes something that cannot be passed around or divided among people, whether because of a licence, a contract, a technical lock, or the nature of the thing itself. The base word "share" traces back to Old English "scearu," meaning a cutting or division, which is also the source of "shear." That link is a useful reminder that sharing was once literally about cutting something into portions. The "un-" prefix is one of English's most productive negators, and it attaches freely to adjectives like this one, so new formations such as this appear whenever speakers need to say that something cannot be distributed.

Synonyms: non-shareable

Antonyms: shareable