irrefragable

/ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/

//ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l// adj

"irrefragable" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“irrefragable” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Which cannot be refuted; clearly right, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefutable.

Key facts for irrefragable
PropertyValue
Headwordirrefragable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “irrefragable” sits in English frequency

irrefragable falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for irrefragable is 12 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for irrefragable in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Late Latin irrefrāgābilis (“irrefragable”) + English -able (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘able or fit to be done’). Irrefrāgābilis is derived from Latin ir- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’)) + refrāgārī + -bilis (suf… The correct English form is irrefragable, spelled I-R-R-E-F-R-A-G-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Which cannot be refuted; clearly right, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefutable.
  2. 2
    Which cannot or should not be broken; indestructible.
  3. 3
    Of a person: obstinate, stubborn.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin irrefrāgābilis (“irrefragable”) + English -able (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘able or fit to be done’). Irrefrāgābilis is derived from Latin ir- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’)) + refrāgārī + -bilis (suffix forming adjectives indicating a capacity or worth of being acted upon); while refrāgārī is the present active infinitive of refrāgor (“to oppose, resist; to gainsay, thwart”) (further etymology uncertain, possibly from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + fragor (“a breaking, shattering; a crash; din, uproar”) (from frangō (“to break, shatter”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg- (“to break”))), formed as an antonym of suffrāgōr, the first-person singular present passive indicative of suffrāgō (“to support; to vote for”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "irrefragable"?
"irrefragable" is spelled I-R-R-E-F-R-A-G-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/.
What does "irrefragable" mean?
As an adjective, "irrefragable" means: Which cannot be refuted; clearly right, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefutable.
How do you pronounce "irrefragable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "irrefragable" is /ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "irrefragable"?
Learned borrowing from Late Latin irrefrāgābilis (“irrefragable”) + English -able (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘able or fit to be done’). Irrefrāgābilis is derived from Latin ir- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’)) + refrāgārī + -... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “irrefragable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-R-R-E-F-R-A-G-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list