adjective / noun

invisible

in-VIZ-uh-bul/ɪnˈvɪzəbl/

Not perceivable by sight.

The invisible air bulges the bag and escapes as bubbles through the submerged tube.

Invisible air made recognizable through its effects: a transparent bag bulges with trapped air, and compressing it sends bubbles through a submerged tube, although no substance is visible inside the bag or the dry portion of the tube.

Etymology

inLatinnot

+visLatinto see

+ibleLatincapable of being

The seeing root and capability ending form “able to be seen”; the negative prefix reverses that possibility. The selected sense therefore concerns what sight cannot perceive.

In context

America's Got Talent0:20

my name is Olive I'm invisible you can't see me but I can see you

INVISIBLE Magician Olive FREAKS OUT The Judges! | Auditions | AGT 2024

More examples

These tiny organisms are invisible without a microscope.
The repair leaves the seam almost invisible.
She feels invisible when her coworkers ignore her suggestions.

Forms

invisible · invisibles

invisibility noun — The state of being impossible to see.

invisibly adverb — In a way that cannot be seen.

Similar words

unseen: Unseen things have not been seen but may be visible.
imperceptible: Imperceptible things escape detection by any sense, not just sight.
hidden: Hidden things are concealed rather than inherently impossible to see.