invariable

in·va·ri·able
I1N1V4A1R1I1A1B3L1E1
US/ɪnˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bl̩/UK/ɪnˈvɛə.ɹi.ə.bl̩/Texas, obsolete, possibly/ɪnˈvɛɚbl̩/

adjective

Not variable; unalterable; uniform; always having the same value.

“The French adjective marron ‘brown’ is invariable: it does not take the usual s in the plural.”

Opposite
UncommonScrabble 15

Meanings

adjectiveinvariable (not comparable)
  1. not comparableNot variable; unalterable; uniform; always having the same value.

    Physical laws which are invariable.

    1860, Isaac Taylor, Ultimate Civilisation
    2 more examples

    “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action.

    1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC

    The rebuilt "Merchant Navy" Pacifics have the monopoly of these workings, and Mr. C. K. Dunkley writes that as a result of their reduced water consumption, as compared with the unrebuilt engines, some engine-crews no longer spend time taking water at Southampton Central, the invariable practice previously.

    1957 October 28, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 714
  2. not comparablemathematicsConstant.
  3. broadlynot comparableor a grammatical classgrammarThat cannot undergo inflection, conjugation or declension.

    The French adjective marron ‘brown’ is invariable: it does not take the usual s in the plural.

    Synonyms: uninflectable

nouninvariable (plural invariables)

plural invariables

  1. Something that does not vary; a constant.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveThat cannot undergo inflection, conjugation or declension.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivenot liable to or capable of change

Opposite

nouna quantity that does not vary

Similar
constantconstant quantity
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Italic*n̥-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Middle Englishin-
  6. Englishin-
  7. Englishvariable
  8. Englishinvariable

From in- + variable. Piecewise doublet of unvariable.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian неизменя́ем, неизменен
  • неизменя́ем (neizmenjáem)not variable
  • неизменен (neizmenen)not variable
  • постоянен (postojanen)(mathematics) constant
  • константен (konstanten)(mathematics) constant
Catalan invariable
  • invariablenot variable
Danish uforanderlig
  • uforanderlignot variable
Dutch onveranderlijk
  • onveranderlijknot variable
Finnish muuttumaton
  • muuttumatonnot variable
French invariable
  • invariablenot variable
German unveränderlich
  • unveränderlichnot variable
Greek άκλιτος
  • άκλιτος (áklitos)not variable
Irish do-athraitheach
  • do-athraitheachnot variable
Italian invariabile
  • invariabilenot variable
Norwegian Bokmål ubøyelig
  • ubøyelignot variable
Polish niezmienny, stały
  • niezmiennynot variable
  • stałynot variable
Portuguese invariável
  • invariávelnot variable
Romanian invariabil, invariabilă
  • invariabilnot variable
  • invariabilănot variable
  • nevariabilnot variable
  • neschimbabilnot variable
Russian неизме́нный, неизменя́емый
  • неизме́нный (neizménnyj)not variable
  • неизменя́емый (neizmenjájemyj)not variable
Spanish invariable, ejecutorio
  • invariablenot variable
  • ejecutorionot variable
Swedish oföränderlig
  • oföränderlignot variable
Ukrainian незмінний, постійний
  • незмінний (nezminnyj)not variable
  • постійний (postijnyj)(mathematics) constant
  • сталий (stalyj)(mathematics) constant
Cite this entry
APA

invariable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/invariable

MLA

“invariable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/invariable. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “invariable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/invariable.

Source: invariable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.