MEANING
Unable to be taken away, surrendered, or transferred to another person.
Use it for
describing rights regarded as inseparable from their holder; distinguishing nontransferability from importance; analyzing claims that an entitlement cannot be forfeitedDistinguishes a right that cannot be surrendered or transferred from one that is merely highly valued. Academic functions: Theory / Conceptual Language, Argumentation.
Words that belong together
- inalienable rights
- inalienable entitlement
- inalienable freedom
On the page
The argument treats basic rights as inalienable rather than as benefits granted at an institution’s discretion.
The discussion distinguishes an inalienable entitlement from property that its owner may sell or transfer.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- inalienable
Usage notes
Adjective: inalienable right; inalienable entitlement. Unalienable is an established alternative spelling, not a separate entry here. Normally non-gradable. Register: formal. Commonness: uncommon (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.