non-opposable
|non-op-pos-a-ble|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnəˈpɑzəbəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnəˈpɒzəb(ə)l/
cannot be opposed
Etymology
'non-opposable' originates from English, formed by the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') attached to 'opposable'; 'opposable' ultimately traces to Latin 'opponere', where 'ob-' (variant 'op-') meant 'against' and 'ponere' meant 'to place'.
'opponere' (Latin) gave rise to verbs in Romance languages (e.g. Old French 'opposer'), which entered Middle English as 'oppose'; from the adjective form 'opposable' the negative prefix 'non-' was later attached in English to form 'non-opposable'.
Originally related to the action 'to place against' or 'to oppose' (from Latin), 'opposable' came to mean 'able to be opposed', and 'non-opposable' developed to mean 'not able to be opposed' (especially in legal usage).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not able to be opposed or set against; incapable of being contested or asserted against someone (often used in legal contexts to indicate that a right, claim, or clause cannot be opposed to a third party).
The clause was declared non-opposable to subsequent purchasers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/31 03:19