Unsignifiable

The adjective 'unsignifiable' describes something that cannot be expressed, represented, or conveyed through signs, symbols, or any form of signification. It refers to concepts, emotions, or experiences that are inherently beyond the capacity of human language, art, or other systems of communication to fully capture or articulate. It encompasses the ineffable, the indescribable, and the fundamentally elusive aspects of reality, rendering them incapable of being codified or made communicable in a meaningful or comprehensive way. It suggests a limitation in the available tools for expressing something beyond the limitations of all known systems.

Unsignifiable meaning with examples

• The profound grief she experienced after the loss of her child was, according to her therapist, 'unsignifiable'. No words, gestures, or artistic representations could adequately capture the depth of her sorrow and the complexity of her loss, leaving her with a sense of isolation in her experience. She was unable to articulate her sorrow to anyone due to its unsignifiable nature.
• Philosophers have often grappled with the 'unsignifiable' nature of ultimate reality. The concept of the absolute, the divine, or the true essence of existence, by some theories, transcends the limits of human understanding and cannot be adequately conveyed through intellectual constructs or linguistic explanations. The ideas are thus unsignifiable to human intellect.
• Experiencing true awe, like standing before a vast and ancient landscape, can leave one feeling that the emotion is ultimately 'unsignifiable'. The feeling is often beyond description due to the totality and complexity of its impact on human consciousness. The lack of language leaves one to stumble and grope for ways to capture and share the experience.
• Certain forms of preverbal trauma create memories that are deemed 'unsignifiable', particularly when the traumatized individual experiences the abuse at a very young age. These experiences, imprinted on the body and the unconscious mind, lack the structure of language and are resistant to conscious recall or narrative representation. The experiences are held unsignifiable by the victim.