Pronunciation: [ɪmˈaləbə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "immalleable" refers to something that is not capable of being shaped or molded. The spelling of this word can be a bit tricky, as it features the uncommon letter combination "mm" followed by "a" and "e". The word can be transcribed in IPA phonetics as /ɪmæliəbəl/. The initial "i" has a short sound, followed by a stressed "a" sound. The "e" at the end is silent but still affects the pronunciation of the preceding "a".
Immalleable is an adjective that refers to something that is resistant to being shaped or molded, lacking flexibility or pliability. It is derived from the combination of the Latin prefix "in-" meaning "not," and the word "malleable" which means easy to bend or shape.
The term immalleable describes an object or substance that cannot be easily altered or transformed in its physical form. It denotes rigidity, stiffness, or inflexibility, often implying an inherent resistance to change. This term can be used metaphorically to describe figurative or abstract concepts that are unyielding or unchangeable in nature. For instance, a person's immalleable opinion suggests that their mindset or viewpoint is firmly fixed and resistant to being altered by new information or arguments.
In the scientific context, immalleable may describe the physical properties of certain materials or substances that are difficult to shape, deform, or reshape. This could refer to materials like hardened steel, brittle ceramics, or certain types of non-plastic polymers. The immalleability of such materials can make them useful for specific purposes where stability and resistance to change are desired, but it can also limit their potential for being modified or customized.
Overall, immalleable describes the quality of lacking flexibility or adaptability, either in a physical or metaphorical sense, and denotes the inability of something to be easily altered, shaped, or molded.
The word immalleable is a combination of the prefix im- which means not, and the adjective malleable. The term malleable comes from Middle English malleable which originated from Old French malleable or maillable, derived from the verb maller meaning to hammer or to beat.
Ultimately, the Old French term can be traced back to the Latin word malleare which also means to hammer. It comes from the noun malleus meaning hammer. Over time, the concept of being malleable expanded from describing the ability to be physically shaped or hammered into describing the ability to be influenced or changed easily. The addition of the negating prefix im- gives us the word immalleable, meaning not malleable or not easily shaped or changed.
