Invariably

How to spell invariably

10 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce invariably

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does invariably mean?

1. adverbIn every case; on every occasion, without exception.

Invariably in a sentence

• The morning train is invariably late by a few minutes.

• Meetings that start late invariably run over their allotted time.

Where does invariably come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb variare, meaning 'to change' or 'to make different', which itself grew from varius, an adjective describing something speckled, diverse, or many-coloured. From variare came the Late Latin variabilis, 'changeable', and adding the negative prefix in-, meaning 'not', produced the sense of 'not changeable'. English took 'variable' through Old French in the late Middle Ages, and the negative 'invariable' followed; the adverb 'invariably', meaning 'in a way that never changes', was in steady use by the 1600s. The same varius root sits inside everyday relatives such as 'variety', 'various', and 'variation', which is a useful reminder that the middle of the word is spelled vari, not very. The trap for writers is that unstressed -able ending, easily slipped to -ible, and the silent feel of the second vowel.

How the word is built

• in- (not)
• vari (from Latin variare: to change, vary)
• -able (capable of)
• -ly (adverb suffix)