Revised 2010
intelligibleadjective & noun
Factsheet
What does the word intelligible mean?
There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the word intelligible, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the word intelligible?
About 4occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 10 |
| 1760 | 10 |
| 1770 | 9.0 |
| 1780 | 9.5 |
| 1790 | 9.5 |
| 1800 | 11 |
| 1810 | 12 |
| 1820 | 13 |
| 1830 | 12 |
| 1840 | 12 |
| 1850 | 12 |
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1870 | 12 |
| 1880 | 12 |
| 1890 | 11 |
| 1900 | 9.3 |
| 1910 | 8.2 |
| 1920 | 7.5 |
| 1930 | 7.1 |
| 1940 | 6.9 |
| 1950 | 6.7 |
| 1960 | 6.1 |
| 1970 | 5.1 |
| 1980 | 4.2 |
| 1990 | 3.9 |
| 2000 | 3.9 |
| 2010 | 3.9 |
How is the word intelligible pronounced?
British English
/ɪnˈtɛlᵻdʒᵻbl/
in-TEL-uh-juh-buhl
U.S. English
/ᵻnˈtɛlədʒəb(ə)l/
uhn-TEL-uh-juh-buhl
Where does the word intelligible come from?
Earliest known use
Middle English
The earliest known use of the word intelligible is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
OED's earliest evidence for intelligible is from before 1382, in Bible (Wycliffite, early version).
intelligible is of multiple origins. Either (i) a borrowing from French. Or (ii) a borrowing from Latin.
Etymons: French intelligible; Latin intelligibilis.
Nearby entries
- intelligency, n.1582–
- intelligent, n., adj., & adv.1508–
- intelligent building, n.1982–
- intelligent contraband, n.1861–
- intelligent design, n.1816–
- intelligential, adj.1611–
- intelligentiary, n. & adj.1577–90
- intelligently, adv.1601–
- intelligentsia, n.1883–
- intelligibility, n.1610–
- intelligible, adj. & n.a1382–
- intelligibleness, n.1611–
- intelligibly, adv.?1548–
- intelligize, v.1803–
- intelliment, n.?1562
- Intelsat, n.1966–
- intemerable, adj.1657
- intemerate, adj.a1492–
- intemerated, adj.1608–82
- intemerately, adv.a1631–
- intemerateness, n.1607–
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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Forms
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Frequency
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Compounds & derived words
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Entry history for intelligible, adj. & n.
intelligible, adj. & n. was revised in November 2010.
intelligible, adj. & n. was last modified in July 2023.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into intelligible, adj. & n. in July 2023.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1900)
OED Second Edition (1989)
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Factsheet for intelligible, adj. & n.
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Nearby entries
- intelligency, n.1582–
- intelligent, n., adj., & adv.1508–
- intelligent building, n.1982–
- intelligent contraband, n.1861–
- intelligent design, n.1816–
- intelligential, adj.1611–
- intelligentiary, n. & adj.1577–90
- intelligently, adv.1601–
- intelligentsia, n.1883–
- intelligibility, n.1610–
- intelligible, adj. & n.a1382–
- intelligibleness, n.1611–
- intelligibly, adv.?1548–
- intelligize, v.1803–
- intelliment, n.?1562
- Intelsat, n.1966–
- intemerable, adj.1657
- intemerate, adj.a1492–
- intemerated, adj.1608–82
- intemerately, adv.a1631–
- intemerateness, n.1607–
