inavouable

shameful, unmentionable

adjective ee-nah-voo-AHL Rare

Usage Note

Inavouable describes something so disreputable or embarrassing that one cannot or will not admit to it. Des motifs inavouables (shameful motives) is a common collocation. The word is formed from the prefix in- (not) + avouable (admissible, from avouer, to confess), making it a very transparent compound for learners.

Examples

"Il agissait pour des raisons inavouables."

Natural Translation

He was acting for shameful reasons.

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