imperceptible
adjective
- not perceptible by a sense or by the mind : extremely slight, gradual, or subtle
Wiktionary
adj
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English imperceptible, from Middle French imperceptible and its etymon Medieval Latin imperceptibilis. By surface analysis, im- + perceptible.
- Not perceptible, not detectable, too small in magnitude to be observed.
“We all missed the imperceptible shake of his head as he tried to warn us without being seen.”
“For this ſtone may have naturally grown into this very ſhape, and the ſeeming aſhes may be no aſhes, that is no remainders of any ſewell burnt there, but ſome unexplicable and imperceptible Motions of the Aire, or other particles of this fluid Matter that is active every where, have wrought ſome parts of the Matter into the form and nature of aſhes, and have fridg’d and plaid about ſo, that they have alſo figured thoſe intelligible Characters in the ſame.”
- Beyond the purview of man; too great and all-encompassing to be perceived.
noun
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English imperceptible, from Middle French imperceptible and its etymon Medieval Latin imperceptibilis. By surface analysis, im- + perceptible.
- Something that is imperceptible.
“The worm that cauſeth it, is it any thing elſe but one of thoſe little Creatures, that hath deprived it ſelf from all ſocitety, to eſtabliſh it ſelf a Gyant in its own Countrey? If you ask me, VVhy they are bigger then other imperceptibles? I muſt ask you, VVhy Elephants are bigger then we?”
“I come next to ſome other ſtrange Acquirements obtained by the helps of theſe Glaſſes; and particularly for the diſcerning the Imperceptibles of Nature; ſuch as, the Soul, Thought, Honeſty, Religion, Virginity, and an Hundred other nice things, too ſmall for humane Diſcerning.”