Meanings
adjectiveunbreathable (comparative more unbreathable, superlative most unbreathable)
comparative more unbreathable · superlative most unbreathable
- Not suitable for breathing.
The atmosphere on Venus is an unbreathable mixture of carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid, amongst other things.
1 more example
The air was not just thick, it was unbreathable.
2020, Avni Doshi, Burnt Sugar, Hamish Hamilton, page 19Synonyms: irrespirable
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveNot suitable for breathing.
Similar
Also see
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Germanic*un-
- Proto-West Germanic*un-
- Old Englishun-
- Middle Englishun-
- Englishun-
- Middle Englishbreeth
- Middle Englishbrethen
- Englishbreathe
- Englishbreathable
- Englishunbreathable
From un- + breathable.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish hengityskelvoton, hengittämätön
- hengityskelvotonnot suitable for breathing
- hengittämätönnot letting air seep through
French irrespirable
- irrespirablenot suitable for breathing
Italian irrespirabile
- irrespirabilenot suitable for breathing
Polish nie do oddychania, nieoodychający
- nie do oddychanianot suitable for breathing
- nieoodychającynot letting air seep through
Portuguese irrespirável
- irrespirávelnot suitable for breathing
Spanish irrespirable
- irrespirablenot suitable for breathing
Cite this entry
APA
unbreathable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbreathable
MLA
“unbreathable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbreathable. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unbreathable,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbreathable.
Source: unbreathable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.