unwechselbar

Unwechselbar is an adjective in the German language that denotes the inability to exchange or substitute something for another item of the same kind. It is used to indicate that a resource, asset, right, or feature is permanently tied to a specific object, contract, or identity and has no ready substitute.

Etymology: The word is formed from un- (negation) + wechseln (to exchange, switch) and the suffix -bar (capable of). It appears in formal or technical registers and is related to, but distinct from, unverwechselbar (unmistakable) and austauschbar (exchangeable).

Usage: In practice, unwechselbar describes items or rights that cannot be exchanged or switched without loss of function or identity. Examples include a device with an unwechselbare Seriennummer, software licenses bound to a single hardware unit, or a contract term that is non-transferable. In many contexts, the term is used to emphasize uniqueness, permanency, or immutability in contrast to interchangeable components.

Related terms: austauschbar; nicht austauschbar; unverwechselbar; fungibel vs nicht fungibel. The term is relatively specialized and may appear primarily in technical, legal, financial, or policy documents rather than everyday language.