immutable

adjective

im·​mu·​ta·​ble (ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-bəl 

: not capable of or susceptible to change

immutability

(ˌ)i(m)-ˌmyü-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

immutableness

(ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-bəl-nəs 

noun

immutably

(ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

Immutable may describe something that is incapable of change, but the word itself—like all words—is mutable, both capable of and prone to alteration. To put a finer point on it, if language were fixed, we wouldn’t have immutable itself, which required a variety of mutations of the Latin verb mutare (“to change”) to reach our tongues (or pens, keyboards, or touchscreens—oh the many permutations of communication!). Other English words that can be traced back to mutare include mutate, transmute, and commute. Which reminds us—the mutability of language makes great food for thought during one’s commute.

Synonyms

• fixed
• hard-and-fast
• inalterable
• incommutable
• inflexible
• invariable
• unalterable
• unchangeable

Examples of immutable in a Sentence

the immutable laws of nature

one of the immutable laws of television is that low ratings inevitably lead to cancellation

Recent Examples on the Web

In all our seasons, as our family grows and shrinks and grows again, the immutable constant of mulukhiyah in these same dishes is a steadying force. —Kristina Kasparian, Longreads, 12 Nov. 2024

This strategy must also reject the faddish but inaccurate notion that China is somehow an impervious force, advancing on an immutable course and unresponsive to external pressure and incentives. —Julian Gewirtz, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020

Smart contracts are immutable, so bugs or security flaws can not easily be corrected, posing risks in terms of both financial losses and legal liability. —Alexandra Andhov, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Authenticity verification: Blockchain can help verify the authenticity of digital content, providing a defense against deepfakes by creating immutable records of original media. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin immutabilis, from in- + mutabilis mutable

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

immutable

adjective

im·​mu·​ta·​ble (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)yüt-ə-bəl 

: impossible to change

immutability

(ˌ)im-ˌ(m)yüt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

immutably

(ˈ)im-ˈ(m)yüt-ə-blē 

adverb