Immutable may describe something that is incapable of change, but the word itself—like all words—is mutable, both capable of and prone to alteration. To put a finer point on it, if language were fixed, we wouldn’t have immutable itself, which required a variety of mutations of the Latin verb mutare (“to change”) to reach our tongues (or pens, keyboards, or touchscreens—oh the many permutations of communication!). Other English words that can be traced back to mutare include mutate, transmute, and commute. Which reminds us—the mutability of language makes great food for thought during one’s commute.
the immutable laws of nature
one of the immutable laws of television is that low ratings inevitably lead to cancellation
Recent Examples on the WebSuch possibilities underscore a fundamental insight: Although the solar system’s present orderly architecture seems fixed and immutable to human reckoning, many of its details teeter at the edge of discord, with the ever present possibility of sudden, sweeping change.—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2024 Moral and laws are not created out of the rub and wear of men and societies but are things innate, uncreated, immutable, absolute and simple; and human relations arise out of them.—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 6 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for immutable
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'immutable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin immutabilis, from in- + mutabilis mutable
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