inviolate

adjective

in·​vi·​o·​late (ˌ)in-ˈvī-ə-lət How to pronounce inviolate (audio)
: not violated or profaned
especially : pure
inviolately adverb
inviolateness noun

Examples of inviolate in a Sentence

These rights must remain inviolate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With their majestic peaks, imposing canyons, and lofty designation, America's national parks seem inviolate, places of natural grandeur far from the vagaries of money or politics. Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2012 But information is supposed to be inviolate, and can never be completely destroyed. Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 28 June 2019 This dish is a deli egg-bacon-and-cheese-on-a-roll that has been pasta-fied, fancified, fetishized and turned into an Italian tradition that, like many inviolate Italian traditions, is actually far less old than the Mayflower. Ian Fisher, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2022 And whereas individual therapy must take place in an inviolate private sphere, the couples version comes with elements of exposure and artifice built in. Lidija Haas, The New Republic, 10 June 2022 The daily and seasonal rhythms of bright and dark remained largely inviolate throughout all of evolutionary time—a 4-billion-year streak that began to falter in the 19th century. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 13 June 2022 Still more thought the love shown in the work of making a home was one of the few activities capitalism hadn’t tainted and should stand inviolate. Joanna Biggs, The New Republic, 11 Feb. 2022 And determining whether human lifetimes have an inviolate maximum might offer clues to understanding aging, as well as aiding research on prolonging life. Tom Siegfried, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2022 One inviolate rule is that everyone who enters must be weighed. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 3 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inviolate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near inviolate

Cite this Entry

“Inviolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inviolate. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

inviolate

adjective
in·​vi·​o·​late (ˈ)in-ˈvī-ə-lət How to pronounce inviolate (audio)
: not violated
especially : pure
inviolately adverb
inviolateness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inviolate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!