incorporeal

comparative more incorporeal · superlative most incorporeal

1. Having no material form or physical substance.

   Thus incorporeal spirits to smaller forms / Reduced their shapes immense.

   1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Sense and perception must necessarily proceed from some incorporeal substance within us.

   1692, Richard Bentley, [A Confutation of Atheism] (please specify the sermon), London: [Thomas Parkhurst; Henry Mortlock], published 1692–1693

   Synonyms: disembodied, intangible, uncorporeal

2. lawRelating to an asset that does not have a material form; such as a patent.

plural incorporeals

1. Something that is incorporeal.

   The World is all viciſsitude and converſion. Nor is it onely true in Materials and Substances; but even in Spirits, in Incorporeals; […]

   1628, Ow[en] Felltham, “Of Assimilation”, in Resolves or, Excogitations. A Second Centurie. (Resolves: A Duple Century […]), London: […] [George Purslowe] for Henry Seile, […], →OCLC, page 195

   3 more examples

   The divine nature of the celeſtial bodies cannot be ſeen through the teleſcope, and incorporeals are not to be viewed with a microſcopic eye: […]

   1793, Thomas Taylor, “The Timæus of Plato: A Dialogue on Nature”, in The Cratylus, Phædo, Parmenides and Timæus of Plato. […], London: […] Benjamin and John White, […], →OCLC, Introduction, page 395

   Where the interest in a piece of land of one of six heirs to the deceased father’s estate was levied upon and it was claimed as a homestead, the Court said: “It is an incorporeal, and an incorporeal cannot be the object of the homestead act.”

   1875, John H. Smyth, “The right of homestead in lands held in common”, in The Law of Homestead and Exemptions, San Francisco, Calif.: Sumner Whitney & Co., →OCLC, Addenda, pages 413–414

   It is manifest that incorporeals are incapable of transfer by delivery. But urban praedial rights may be ceded in court, and rural ones may also be mancipated.

   1880, Gaius, translated by James Muirhead, “[Commentarius Secundus]”, in The Institutes of Gaius and Rules of Ulpian. […], Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, […], →OCLC, “Gaii Institutionum Iuris Civilis Commentarii Quattuor”, § 28, page 82