Impassive
Meaning
Showing no emotion or feeling, often in the face of circumstances that would typically provoke a strong reaction.
Origin
Impassive traces its linguistic roots back to the Latin impassibilis, a compound of in- (meaning "not") and passibilis (meaning "capable of feeling or suffering"). This Latin term eventually journeyed into Old French as impassible, maintaining the core idea of being unaffected by external forces or emotions. When it arrived in English in the early 17th century, it quickly found its place to describe a state of profound emotional stillness, like a perfectly calm lake reflecting nothing but the sky, entirely untouched by inner turmoil or outward provocation.
Examples
- Despite the shocking news, his face remained impassive, betraying no sign of distress.
- The judge listened to the testimony with an impassive expression, giving no clue as to her thoughts.