in|ex|haust|ible / I n I gzɔː stəb ə l/ ADJ If there is an inexhaustible supply of something, there is so much of it that it cannot all be used up. □ She has an inexhaustible supply of enthusiasm.
in|exo|rable / I ne ksərəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use inexorable to describe a process which cannot be prevented from continuing or progressing. [FORMAL ] □ …the seemingly inexorable rise in unemployment. ● in|exo|rably / I ne ksərəbli/ ADV [ADV with v] □ Spending on health is growing inexorably.
in|ex|pen|sive / I n I kspe ns I v/ ADJ Something that is inexpensive does not cost very much. □ …a variety of good inexpensive restaurants.
in|ex|pe|ri|ence / I n I ksp I ə riəns/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to someone's inexperience , you mean that they have little knowledge or experience of a particular situation or activity. □ [+ of ] Critics attacked the youth and inexperience of his staff.
in|ex|pe|ri|enced / I n I ksp I ə riənst/ ADJ If you are inexperienced , you have little knowledge or experience of a particular situation or activity. □ Routine tasks are often delegated to inexperienced young doctors.
in|ex|pert / I ne kspɜː r t/ ADJ If you describe someone or something as inexpert , you mean that they show a lack of skill. □ He was too inexperienced and too inexpert to succeed. □ …inexpert needlework.
in|ex|pli|cable / I n I kspl I kəb ə l/ ADJ If something is inexplicable , you cannot explain why it happens or why it is true. □ For some inexplicable reason, the investors decided to pull out. ● in|ex|pli|cably / I n I kspl I kəbli/ ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ She suddenly and inexplicably announced her retirement.
in|ex|press|ible / I n I kspre s I b ə l/ ADJ An inexpressible feeling cannot be expressed in words because it is so strong. [FORMAL ] □ He felt a sudden inexpressible loneliness.
in ex|tre|mis / I n I kstriː m I s/ PHRASE If someone or something is in extremis , they are in a very difficult situation and have to use extreme methods. [FORMAL ] □ The use of antibiotics is permitted only in extremis.
in|ex|tri|cable / I n I kstr I kəb ə l, I ne kstr I k-/ ADJ If there is an inextricable link between things, they cannot be considered separately. [FORMAL ] □ Meetings are an inextricable part of business.
in|ex|tri|cably / I nekstr I kəbli/ ADV [ADV with v] If two or more things are inextricably linked, they cannot be considered separately. [FORMAL ] □ Religion was for her inextricably linked with life itself.
in|fal|lible / I nfæ l I b ə l/ ADJ If a person or thing is infallible , they are never wrong. □ Although he was experienced, he was not infallible. ● in|fal|libil|ity / I nfæ l I b I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …exaggerated views of the infallibility of science.
in|fa|mous / I nfəməs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n, v-link ADJ , Also v-link ADJ for n] Infamous people or things are well-known because of something bad. [FORMAL ] □ [+ for ] He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.
in|fa|my / I nfəmi/ N‑UNCOUNT Infamy is the state of being infamous. [FORMAL ] □ …one of the greatest acts of infamy in history.
in|fan|cy / I nfənsi/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Infancy is the period of your life when you are a very young child. □ …the development of the mind from infancy onwards.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If something is in its infancy , it is new and has not developed very much. □ Computing science was still in its infancy.
in|fant / I nfənt/ (infants )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] An infant is a baby or very young child. [FORMAL ] □ …young mums with infants in prams. □ …the infant mortality rate in Britain.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Infants are children between the ages of five and seven, who go to an infant school. [BRIT ] ● N‑UNCOUNT You use the infants to refer to a school or class for such children. □ You've been my best friend ever since we started in the infants.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Infant means designed especially for very young children. □ …an infant carrier in the back of a car.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] An infant organization or system is new and has not developed very much. □ The infant company was based in Germany. WORD HISTORY infant
An infant is literally a child who is too young to have learnt to talk. The word comes from Latin infans , meaning 'unable to speak', from in- , meaning 'not', and fārī , meaning 'speak'.
in|fan|ti|cide / I nfæ nt I sa I d/ N‑UNCOUNT Infanticide is the crime of killing a young child.
in|fan|tile / I nfənta I l/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Infantile behaviour or illnesses are typical of very young children. [FORMAL ] □ …infantile aggression.
2 ADJ If you accuse someone or something of being infantile , you think that they are foolish and childish. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ This kind of humour is infantile and boring.
in|fan|try / I nfəntri/ N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb] Infantry are soldiers who fight on foot rather than in tanks or on horses. □ …an infantry division.
in|fantry|man / I nfəntrimən/ (infantrymen ) N‑COUNT An infantryman is a soldier who fights on foot.
i n|fant school (infant schools ) N‑VAR In Britain, an infant school is a school for children between the ages of five and seven.
in|fatu|at|ed / I nfæ tʃue I t I d/ ADJ If you are infatuated with a person or thing, you have strong feelings of love or passion for them which make you unable to think clearly or sensibly about them. □ [+ with ] He was utterly infatuated with her.