ἀνεκλάλητος
aneklálētos
G412 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Inexpressible, incapable of being articulated or put into words; refers to something that cannot be adequately conveyed through speech due to its nature, profundity, or sacredness. Used to describe things that surpass ordinary verbal communication, such as overwhelming joy or divine realities that defy description.
Semantic Range
inexpressible, incapable of being put into words, unspeakable, indescribable, beyond verbal expression
Root / Etymology
From the negative prefix ἀ- (not) and the verb ἐκλαλέω (to speak out, to utter aloud), itself from ἐκ (out) + λαλέω (to speak, to utter). The form denotes that which cannot be spoken out or expressed.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἀνεκλάλητος is a rare term, appearing in Koine Greek literature and only twice in the New Testament (1 Peter 1:8; 2 Corinthians 9:15). In both cases, it describes realities or experiences (such as joy or gifts) that are viewed as transcending articulated expression. The word is absent from classical Attic sources and is attested primarily in later Hellenistic and early Christian usage. Standard English translations typically render the word as 'inexpressible' or 'unspeakable,' but 'inexpressible' better captures the inability to convey the thing adequately in language, rather than a strict prohibition or mere silence. The term functions similarly to ineffabilis (Latin), and is part of a broader lexical tendency in Koine Greek to describe the transcendent or extraordinary as beyond words (cf. ἄρρητος, G731).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of ἐκλαλέω; not spoken out, i.e. (by implication) unutterable:--unspeakable.
Root Family
ἀνεκλάλητος (aneklálētos) — inexpressible, unspeakable, beyond utterance
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G412-01 |
ἀνεκλαλήτῳ | aneklaleto | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
inexpressible | to an inexpressible | inexpressible | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G412-01 |
1 Peter 1:8 | ἀνεκλαλήτῳ | aneklaleto | ADJ.A DAT F SG |
inexpressible | to an inexpressible | inexpressible |