non-renewable
|non/re/new/a/ble|
🇺🇸
/nɒn rɪˈnuːəbl̩/
🇬🇧
/nɒn rɪˈnjuːəbl̩/
(renewable)
capable of renewal
Etymology
'non-renewable' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'renewable', which comes from the Latin 'renovare', meaning 'to make new again'.
'Renewable' evolved from the Latin 'renovare' through Old French 'renoveler', eventually becoming the modern English word 'renewable'. The prefix 'non-' was added to form 'non-renewable'.
Initially, 'renewable' meant 'capable of being renewed', and with the prefix 'non-', it evolved to mean 'not capable of being renewed'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not able to be replenished or regenerated once used.
Fossil fuels are considered non-renewable resources.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45