Keverhetetlen

Keverhetetlen is a Hungarian adjective meaning unmixable or unable to be mixed. It primarily describes substances that do not form a homogeneous mixture when combined, such as oil and water. The term can also be used metaphorically to refer to ideas, opinions, or people that cannot be reconciled or blended into a single coherent whole.

Origin and formation: The word is built from the verb keverni (to mix) plus the suffix -hetetlen, which denotes impossibility or incapability. The construction is productive in Hungarian and can pair with different nouns to emphasize non-mixing. In some contexts, more neutral terms like nem elegyedő or nem elegyedik are preferred for immiscibility, but keverhetetlen adds emphasis or rhetorical weight.

Usage and nuance: Keverhetetlen often carries a stronger, more colorful tone than standard terms for immiscibility. In scientific writing, neutral phrases are typically used, whereas keverhetetlen may appear in literary, journalistic, or persuasive writing to stress irreconcilable differences. Examples: “Az olaj és a víz keverhetetlenek” or “A két álláspont keverhetetlen egymással.”

See also: immiscible, incompatibility, metaphor.

References: General Hungarian dictionaries and usage guides describe keverhetetlen as an adjective formed from keverni with the negative-impossibility suffix, suitable for both literal and figurative contexts.