inviolate

I1N1V4I1O1L1A1T1E1
UK/ɪnˈvaɪ.ə.lət/UK/ɪnˈvaɪ.əʊˌleɪt/

adjective

Not violated; free from violation or hurt of any kind; secure against violation or impairment.

Similar
unviolateintactuninjuredinviolablesacrosanctsacred
OriginMiddle English inviolat, inviolate ← Latin inviolātus →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectiveinviolate (comparative more inviolate, superlative most inviolate)

comparative more inviolate · superlative most inviolate

  1. Not violated; free from violation or hurt of any kind; secure against violation or impairment.

    His fortune of arms was still inviolate.

    1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC
    1 more example

    A partner can also, hopefully, be trusted more fully than any other person in our lives. Our courts recognize this by refusing to allow a person to testify against his or her spouse. The sanctity of the home, by which they mean the couple, is inviolate.

    1987 February 8, Robert Storen, “On Being Cozy with Mister Right”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 29, page 12

    Synonyms: unviolate

  2. Incorruptible.

    inviolate truth

    1668, John Denham, Of Prudence (poem)
    1 more example

    There chaste Alceste lives inviolate.

    1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Virgils Gnat”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveNot violated; free from violation or hurt of any kind; secure against violation or impairment.

Similar
unviolate

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(of a woman) having the hymen unbroken

Similar
intactuninjured

adjectivemust be kept sacred

Similar
inviolablesacrosanctsacred
Also see
adamantineindomitableintactinviolablesacredsacrosanctuninjuredunviolate

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latininviolātus
  2. Middle Englishinviolat, inviolate
  3. Englishinviolate

From Middle English inviolat, inviolate, from Latin inviolātus. By surface analysis, in- (“not”) + violate (adjective).

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀκραιφνής, ᾰ̓́σῡλος
  • ἀκραιφνής (akraiphnḗs)Translations
  • ᾰ̓́σῡλος (ắsūlos)Translations
French inviolé
  • invioléTranslations
German unbeschadet
  • unbeschadetTranslations
Greek απαραβίαστος
  • απαραβίαστος (aparavíastos)Translations
Irish ógh
  • óghTranslations
Italian inviolato, impenetrato
  • inviolatoTranslations
  • impenetratoTranslations
Latin intemerātus, inviolātus
  • intemerātusTranslations
  • inviolātusTranslations
Spanish inviolado
  • invioladoTranslations
Ukrainian непору́шений
  • непору́шений (neporúšenyj)Translations
Urdu استوار
  • استوار (ustuwār)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

inviolate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inviolate

MLA

“inviolate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inviolate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inviolate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inviolate.

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