different between impossible vs impractical

English

Alternative forms

• inpossible (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French impossible, from Latin impossibilis, from in- (“not”) + possibilis (“possible”), from possum (“to be able”) + suffix -ibilis (“-able”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m?p?s.?.b?l/, /?m?p?s.?.b?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m?p?.s?bl/
• Hyphenation: im?pos?si?ble

Adjective

impossible (comparative more impossible, superlative most impossible)

1. Not possible; not able to be done or happen.
   • 1610-11?, Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II, scene i:

     Antonio: What impossible matter will he make easy next?

     Sebastian: I think he will carry this island home in his pocket and give it his son for an apple.

     Antonio : And sowing the kernels of it in the sea bring forth more islands.

   • 1865, Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

     Nothing is impossible, only impassible.

   • 13 March 1962, John F. Kennedy

     Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

2. (colloquial, of a person) Very difficult to deal with.

3. (mathematics, dated) imaginary

Synonyms

• unpossible (rare)

Antonyms

• (not able to be done or happen): possible, inevitable

Derived terms

• impossibility
• impossibly
• mission impossible

Translations

Noun

impossible (plural impossibles)

1. (obsolete) an impossibility
   • Late 14th century: “Madame,” quod he, “this were an impossible!” — Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Franklin's Tale’, Canterbury Tales

Translations

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin impossibilis, equivalent to in- +? possible.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /im.pu?si.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /im.po?si.ble/

Adjective

impossible (masculine and feminine plural impossibles)

1. impossible

   Antonym: possible

Derived terms

• impossiblement

Related terms

• impossibilitat

Further reading

• “impossible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “impossible” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “impossible” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “impossible” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

From im- +? possible.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.p?.sibl/

Adjective

impossible (plural impossibles)

1. impossible

Derived terms

• à cœur vaillant rien d'impossible
• à l'impossible nul n'est tenu
• impossible n'est pas français
• impossiblement

Further reading

• “impossible” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle French

Adjective

impossible m or f (plural impossibles)

1. impossible

English

Etymology

From im- +? practical.

Adjective

impractical (comparative more impractical, superlative most impractical)

1. not practical; impracticable

   Antonym: practical

Usage notes

• Said of people, theories, philosophies, etc.

Derived terms

Translations