Ineffable
Too great, intense or sacred to be put into words — and in the religious sense that hardened in the 1590s, not merely indescribable but forbidden to be spoken.
Full definition of Ineffable →:: COMPARE ::
IneffablevsEffable
The short answer
Effable is the forgotten original: that which may lawfully be spoken. English kept the locked door and lost the key — the negation survived and the positive form went archaic.
Side by side
| Aspect | Ineffable | Effable |
|---|---|---|
| In current use | Yes | Archaic |
| Means | May not be said | May be said |
| Register | Elevated | Extinct |
| Comparable | Not standardly | n/a |
What each one means
Effable
The contrast above sets out how Effable differs from Ineffable on the points that actually matter.