- 1不可分割的、不能分開的。常見於政治與法律語境（「不可分割的一部分」），以及數學上「不可分的」。
If something is indivisible, it cannot be cut into parts — or it must not be, because breaking it would destroy what it is. There are three places you meet it. In mathematics and older science it means 'cannot be divided': the ancient idea of the atom was of an indivisible piece of matter, the smallest thing there is. In it is a solemn word for a country or a group that must stay as one: the American Pledge of Allegiance says 'one Nation under God, indivisible'. And in more everyday serious writing it links two things so tightly that you cannot have one without the other — 'freedom and responsibility are indivisible', meaning you never get one alone. That third use is the most useful for a student, and note what it really claims: not that the two things are the same, but that they cannot be separated. The word is formal. Nobody says 'this cake is indivisible' at a birthday party. It belongs in law, , philosophy, and mathematics. It is also, rarely, a noun — 'an indivisible' meaning a thing that cannot be divided — but you can safely learn it as an adjective and leave the noun alone.
組成in- (not) + divisible (able to be divided). Divisible comes from divide. English took the whole word from Middle French indivisible, which came from Late Latin indivisibilis — so it arrived already assembled, rather than being built here.
原始詞典資料4 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
indivisibleadj/ˌɪndɪˈvɪzɪbəl/
- 1
Incapable of being divided; atomic.
- one indivisible point of time
- Although the mainland and Taiwan are yet to be reunited, they belong to one and same China, which is an indivisible whole.
- 2
arithmeticIncapable of being divided by a specific integer without leaving a remainder.
indivisiblenoun/ˌɪndɪˈvɪzɪbəl/
- 1
That which cannot be divided or split.
- By atom, nobody will imagine we intend to express a perfect indivisible, but only the least sort of natural bodies.
- The compoſition of Bodies, whether it be of Diviſibles or Indiviſibles, is a queſtion which must be rank'd with the Indiſſolvibles: For though it hath been attempted by the moſt illuſtrious Wits of all Philoſophick Ages; yet they have done little elſe, but ſhewn their own diviſions to be almoſt as infinite, as ſome ſuppoſe thoſe of their Subject.
- 2
geometrymathematicssciencesAn infinitely small quantity which is assumed to admit of no further division.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。