UNTOUCHABLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does untouchable mean? 

• UNTOUCHABLE (noun)
  The noun UNTOUCHABLE has 1 sense:

1. belongs to lowest social and ritual class in India

  Familiarity information: UNTOUCHABLE used as a noun is very rare.

• UNTOUCHABLE (adjective)
  The adjective UNTOUCHABLE has 5 senses:

1. beyond the reach of criticism or attack or impeachment

2. impossible to assail

3. forbidden to the touch

4. (especially used in traditional Hindu belief of the lowest caste or castes) defiling

5. not capable of being obtained

  Familiarity information: UNTOUCHABLE used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNTOUCHABLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Belongs to lowest social and ritual class in India

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Harijan; untouchable

Hypernyms ("untouchable" is a kind of...):

castaway; Ishmael; outcast; pariah (a person who is rejected (from society or home))

Derivation:

untouchable ((especially used in traditional Hindu belief of the lowest caste or castes) defiling)

• UNTOUCHABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Beyond the reach of criticism or attack or impeachment

Context example:

for the first time criticism was directed at a hitherto untouchable target

Similar:

invulnerable (immune to attack; impregnable)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Impossible to assail

Synonyms:

unassailable; untouchable

Similar:

inviolable (incapable of being transgressed or dishonored)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Forbidden to the touch

Context example:

in most museums such articles are untouchable

Similar:

impermissible (not permitted)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(especially used in traditional Hindu belief of the lowest caste or castes) defiling

Similar:

impure; unclean (having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure according to dietary or ceremonial laws)

Derivation:

untouchable (belongs to lowest social and ritual class in India)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Not capable of being obtained

Synonyms:

inaccessible; unobtainable; unprocurable; untouchable

Context example:

untouchable resources buried deep within the earth

Similar:

unavailable (not available or accessible or at hand)