impeccable
adjective
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The word impeccable has been used in English since the 16th century. It comes from the Latin word impeccabilis, a combination of the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not," and the verb peccare, meaning "to sin." Its original meaning hewed close to its root: impeccable meant "not capable of sinning or liable to sin." (It has a rare but pleasingly logical antonym in peccable, meaning "liable or prone to sin.") Peccare has other descendants in English: there is the noun peccadillo, ("a slight offense"), adjective peccant ("guilty of a moral offense" or simply "faulty"), and the noun peccavi, which in Latin literally means "I have sinned" but in English refers to an acknowledgment of sin. Nowadays, impeccable is more commonly used in the secular sense to mean "flawless," as in "impeccable taste in music" or "their craftsmanship is impeccable."
Examples of impeccable in a Sentence
Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
His English was impeccable but halting, like a well-tooled but slightly rusted machine.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 1987
In order to ensure that at least one verifiable Spaniard participate in this critical venture, Mendoza asked Bishop Zumárraga to nominate as second-in-command a younger friar with impeccable credentials, and the cleric selected a Fransiscan in whom he had great faith …
—James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
She has impeccable taste in music.
the etiquette expert was celebrated for her absolutely impeccable manners
Samantha Neely, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
This was all conducted politely, in impeccable English, and without undue delay.
—ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
Both are temperature-controlled, surrounded by chaises and day beds for the perfect nap, and behold that impeccable view of the vineyards.
—Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2025
Housed in a former 1960s bank, the boutique hotel blends local art, stylish furnishings, and impeccable service with a central Pack Square location.
—Jenn Rice, AFAR Media, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impeccable
Cite this Entry
“Impeccable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impeccable. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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