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inerte

inert

adjective ee-NER-teh Rare

Origin: From Latin iners, 'unskilled, idle'.

Also means

inactive

Usage Note

Inerte is invariable for gender — un gas inerte, una sostanza inerte. It covers both scientific use (inert gas, chemically unreactive substance) and figurative use (a passive, unresponsive person). The plural is inerti. Do not confuse with inetto (inept), which implies incompetence rather than mere passivity.

Examples

"L'argon è un gas inerte."

Natural Translation

Argon is an inert gas.

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