incommensurateness
|in-commens-ur-ate-ness|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪn.kəˈmɛn.sɚ.nəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪn.kəˈmɛn.s(ə)r.nəs/
(incommensurate)
disproportionate
Etymology
'incommensurateness' is formed in English from the prefix 'in-' (not) + 'commensurate' + the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. 'commensurate' ultimately comes from Latin 'commensuratus', related to 'com-' (together) + 'mensura' (measure).
'commensurate' entered English from late Latin/Medieval Latin (commensuratus) and via French influence; English formed the adjective 'commensurate' (17th century) and later the negative/adversative form with the prefix 'in-' and the noun 'incommensurateness' through regular derivation.
Originally the root sense involved 'having a common measure' (from Latin), and 'commensurate' came to mean 'proportionate.' The negative form 'incommensurate' and the noun 'incommensurateness' developed to denote lack of proportion or lack of a common measure; in mathematics this specialized to 'no common measure' between magnitudes.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being incommensurate — lacking a common standard of measurement; not proportionate or comparable.
The incommensurateness between the project's cost and its expected benefits raised concerns among the board.
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Noun 2
in mathematics (historical/technical): the property of two magnitudes that have no common measure (i.e., they cannot be expressed as a ratio of whole numbers).
Ancient Greek mathematicians studied the incommensurateness of certain line segments.
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Last updated: 2025/12/26 18:02