invisible
adj 1: impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by
the eye; "the invisible man"; "invisible rays"; "an
invisible hinge"; "invisible mending" [syn: invisible,
unseeable] [ant: seeable, visible]
2: not prominent or readily noticeable; "he pushed the string
through an inconspicuous hole"; "the invisible man" [syn:
inconspicuous, invisible] [ant: conspicuous]
invisible adjectiveEtymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin
invisibilis, from in- + visibilis visible Date:
14th century 1.a. incapable by nature of being seen b. inaccessible to
view ;hidden2.imperceptible, inconspicuous3.a. not appearing in published financial statements b.
not reflected in statistics
• invisibilitynoun • invisiblenoun •
invisiblenessnoun • invisiblyadverb
invisible adj. 1 not visible to the eye, either characteristically or because hidden. 2 too small to be seen or noticed. 3 artfully concealed (invisible mending). Phrases and
idioms: invisible exports (or imports etc.) items, esp. services, involving payment between countries but not constituting tangible commodities. Derivatives: invisibility n.
invisibleness n. invisibly adv. Etymology: ME f. OF invisible or L invisibilis (as IN-(1), VISIBLE)
invisible
1. If you describe something as invisible, you mean that it cannot be seen, for example
because it is transparent, hidden, or very small.
The lines were so finely etched as to be invisible from a distance...≠ visible
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
• invisiblyA thin coil of smoke rose almost invisibly into the sharp, bright sky.ADV: ADV with v
2. You can use invisible when you are talking about something that cannot be seen but
has a definite effect. In this sense, invisible is often used before a noun which refers
to something that can usually be seen.
Parents fear they might overstep these invisible boundaries...ADJ: ADJ n
• invisibly...the tradition that invisibly shapes things in the present.ADV: ADV with v
3. If you say that you feel invisible, you are complaining that you are being ignored
by other people. If you say that a particular problem or situation is invisible, you
are complaining that it is not being considered or dealt with.
The problems of the poor are largely invisible.ADJ
• invisibility...the invisibility of women's concerns in society.N-UNCOUNT
4. In stories, invisible people or things have a magic quality which makes people unable
to see them.
...The Invisible Man.ADJ
5. In economics, invisible earnings are the money that a country makes as a result of
services such as banking and tourism, rather than by producing goods. (BUSINESS)
Tourism is Britain's single biggest invisible export...≠ visible
ADJ: ADJ n
Invisible \In*vis"i*ble\, a. [F. invisible, L. invisibilis. See
In- not, and Visible.]
Incapable of being seen; not perceptible by vision; not
visible.
To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest
works. --Milton.
Invisible bird (Zo["o]l.), a small, shy singing bird
({Myadestes sibilons}), of St. Vincent Islands.
Invisible green, a very dark shade of green, approaching to
black, and liable to be mistaken for it.
Invisible \In*vis"i*ble\, n.
1. An invisible person or thing; specifically, God, the
Supreme Being.
2. A Rosicrucian; -- so called because avoiding declaration
of his craft. [Obs.]
3. (Eccl. Hist.) One of those (as in the 16th century) who
denied the visibility of the church. --Shipley.
invisible
ɪnˈvɪzəbl adj.
1 unseeable, imperceptible, undetectable, imperceivable; unseen: The air we breathe
is invisible.
2 concealed, hidden, disguised, camouflaged, masked, covered, unperceived, veiled,
indiscernible: Once the part has been painted, the damage will be invisible.
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