French word

introuvable

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃tʁuvabl/

Meaning

  • adjectivenowhere to be found

Example

J'ai cherché partout, mais mon portable est introuvable.

I looked everywhere, but my phone is nowhere to be found.

Illustration for introuvable (nowhere to be found)

More examples

La clé est introuvable ce matin.

The key is nowhere to be found this morning.

Core concept

Something that remains beyond reach whether it is lost, hidden, or difficult to obtain.

Common phrases

  • clé introuvable

    key nowhere to be found

  • billet introuvable

    unavailable ticket

  • article introuvable

    unavailable item

Similar words

perdu: Lost or misplaced and not found.
absent: Not present in a particular place or situation.
indisponible: Not available to obtain or use.
manquant: Lacking a required part or person.

Definition in French

Indique qu'on ne parvient pas à trouver ou à localiser quelque chose.

Word origin

The adjective is formed from trouver, meaning 'to find', with the negative prefix in- and the productive suffix -able.

Usage tips

  • Introuvable can describe a scarce or unavailable item as well as a missing one, so context determines whether finding or obtaining is meant.

Other meanings

  • unobtainableadjective

Opposites

  • trouvableable to be foundadjective
  • repérableeasy to spotadjective

Related words

  • trouvableable to be foundadjective

Word lists with this word