inscrutable adj : of an obscure nature; "the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms"; "a deep dark secret"; "the inscrutible workings of Providence"; "in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life"- Rachel Carson; "rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands" [syn: cryptic, cryptical, deep, mysterious, mystifying]

English

Etymology

From the inscrutabilis from in- + scrutare

Pronunciation

• /ˌInˈskruːtəbl/, /%In"skru:t@bl/

Adjective

1. difficult or impossible to comprehend, fathom or interpret

   His inscrutable theories would years later become the foundation of a whole new science.

   • 2007, Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), 30 Rock:

     She called my vanity license plate inscrutable! 'ICU81MI'? Hilarious!

Synonyms

• sense difficult to comprehend ineffable

Derived terms

• inscrutability
• inscrutableness
• inscrutably

Greek to one, ambiguous, arcane, beyond understanding, cabalistic, impenetrable, inarticulate, incognizable, incoherent, incomprehensible, mystic, numinous, past comprehension, rambling, unaccountable, unconnected, unfathomable, unguessed, unintelligible, unknowable, unsearchable