undecipherably
- adverb
- /ˌʌndɪˈsaɪfərəbli/
- The doctor wrote the prescription undecipherably, making it hard for the pharmacist to fill.
Examples
-
He mumbled undecipherably under his breath, so no one could catch what he said.
-
The note was written undecipherably.
-
The ancient text was undecipherably faded after centuries of weathering.
-
He spoke undecipherably during the meeting.
-
The ancient manuscript was written undecipherably, leaving scholars puzzled for decades.
-
She scribbled the directions undecipherably, so I had difficulty finding the location.
-
His handwriting was so undecipherably messy that I could not make out any of the words.
Synonyms
5
6.3
Hard to see, hear, or remember clearly
5
6.7
In a way that is not clear or logical
3
4.0
In a way that makes it hard to understand
2
8.0
It is very hard to understand
1
8.1
In a way that is very hard to understand
1
6.5
In a way that is hard for others to read
1
7.7
In a way so messy or faint you cannot make out the letters
1
8.5
So unclear that people cannot read or understand it
How Decipherable
2
2.3
1
3.7
1
4.4
1
6.5
2
8.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
undecipherably = undecipherable (transparent) = un + decipher + ably
The adverb is transparently formed from the adjective 'undecipherable'.
Etymology
Undecipherably is built from un- 'not' and decipher 'to read a code', and the ending -ly turns it into a word that shows how something is done. Think of a secret note written in a code you cannot read, so when someone speaks or writes undecipherably they do it in a way you cannot understand.